![]() Becoming comfortable with the reality of death That might be a bit too much for us today, and yet, the reality is that death can happen at any moment.įr Neil McNicholas, author of A Catholic Approach to Dying, says: “The thought that ‘each day you awaken could be the last you have’ could sound very depressing, but it doesn’t have to be that way. ![]() It’s said that to remind himself of the shortness of life, the Italian saint Charles Borromeo kept a human skull on a little table in his house. Indeed if we can strive to control how anxiety about death impacts upon us, we can avoid potentially negative or destructive behaviour and focus positively on the time we have. Controlling anxiety about dyingĪccepting your mortality can also be freeing, as one of the consequences can be making more conscious choices in the present. This time should help you to see things more clearly, making it easier to take the necessary steps toward living the best version of your life. Thinking about your life ending can be anxiety provoking, so make time for periods of calm, contemplative reflection. Emotional and spiritual workīeyond the practical there is emotional and spiritual work to be done to come to terms with the inevitability of death. For example, who would you like to be with you? What might be your last wishes? Make the most of now to give full consideration to these questions. Perhaps it’s taking the time to consider what would be the best possible death experience for you. We all want a good death, to die well, but what does that actually mean? We may ask ourselves searching questions, such as what impact do we want to make on the world? And what do we want our legacy to be? Discussing death and mortalityĭeath is a subject most of us avoid discussing but talking about it can help reposition how we feel about our mortality. But faith can help, as can taking a practical approach.įor example, accepting that life has a finite span focuses the attention, enabling us to take stock of our lives and think about the possibilities still ahead. ![]() We each have to find our own way to process the reality of dying. But accepting death can be hugely problematic. ![]() Coming to terms with our mortality is a challenge faced by us all. ![]()
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