philosophy of life
Why dealing well with death gives your life more meaning
© fotofabrika / Adobe Stock
Death is something that probably affects everyone. We cannot avoid it, and yet many of us try to keep it out of our minds for as long as we can. But if we look at death, it can even help us.
Negative thoughts often come up when we think about death. The loss of a loved one, the end of a life and the moments that will be missed by someone who is no longer there. But death is not always bad and it can even motivate us. After all, without it life would be endless and with that we might lose the desire to strive for or tackle certain things.
Death as motivation
What do you want others to remember when you’re gone? And how would you describe yourself now? These two questions seem to trigger different things in our brain. In a study Scientists found out that people spoke more positively about themselves when it came to what others should remember later. In comparison, the other group of participants was less euphoric when it came to describing themselves in the here and now. For many people, creating something that others will remember is something that gives more meaning to their lives. US psychologist Emily Mroz explains on Psychology Today that it can even help us achieve our goals. Persons who are aware of death would therefore have two typical mentalities.
- People whose legacy to posterity drives them in life. For example, extreme athletes whose heritage is not based on their virtue but on extreme achievements – or scientists engaged in research for a specific cure. They collect new experiences that mankind has never experienced before and will drive them forward.
- People making the most of their lives. The life motto “You only live once” would also fit here. After all, it’s about not worrying too much in some situations, but rather having the courage or, as here, talking about the big picture: pursuing your own desires in life. In the time they have left, people with this mentality usually want to leave something for posterity, but it is often more about their own personality that should be remembered – for example in the family. Or what they pass on to their children
Taking advantage of death
Thinking and talking about death can help us identify what is important to us in this life. It can encourage us to pursue our dreams and become more active: “One day you, I and everyone reading this will be dead,” explains Emily Mroz. “It is unchangeable and inevitable.” Of course, this can be depressing for some people at first. But according to the US psychologist, we, like the people before us, also want others to remember us. Just as we remember the people who have left us, were dear to us and still are.