We’ve all heard the old line, "The only certainties in life are death and taxes." But let’s be honest. Taxes? Optional for some of us.
With enough advisors, loopholes, and luck, we can manipulate the numbers. We can even bend the system.
But death? It doesn’t negotiate. It doesn’t reschedule. It shows up - unapologetic and absolute.
And maybe that’s the point. Maybe the very thing we try hardest to avoid is here to wake us up.
Often, we don’t pay attention until something shocks us:
- A friend is diagnosed.
- A parent passes away.
- Our own health fails.
That’s when we see what really matters. And that’s when regret moves in. Regret over what we didn’t say, didn’t do, or didn’t prioritize.
But what if we didn’t wait for death to wake us up? What if we let death teach us how to live? How about our health?
We don’t need to become weightlifters or fitness fanatics. But we do need to be active, to stretch, to walk, to rest, and eat what nourishes us, not just what comforts us in the moment.
And then, the money?
Here’s the quiet crisis most of us don’t talk about: Nearly 60% of Americans couldn’t cover a $1,000 emergency without borrowing or going into debt. And according to the Federal Reserve, only 1 in 10 of us could handle a $2,000 surprise expense from our savings alone.
And it’s not just about the money. It’s about stress, insecurity, and silence. The kind of silence that builds between couples, and between generations.
Let’s talk about it. Let’s plan. Let’s get help.
Set goals. Clean up our debt. Teach our children about money management. When we take control of our finances, we can reclaim our peace.
Ok. Let’s go deeper.
- Are your affairs in order?
- Do your loved ones know your wishes?
- Have you set things in place, so your family inherits peace and not problems?
Getting things in order isn’t about being morbid. It’s about being kind, thoughtful and prepared.
When we face our mortality, we also find our focus!
We start choosing presence over performance, people over pride, and purpose over pressure.
And we start to live on purpose.
We laugh more freely. We say, “I’m sorry” faster. We forgive, not because it’s easy, but because we realize how precious time really is.
We take lots of pictures. We dance at the parties. We ask difficult questions. And we hold our grandchild a little longer.
In his final days, Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, said:
“I have reached the pinnacle of success in business. But apart from work, I have little joy...All the accolades and wealth that I was so proud of have paled and become insignificant in the face of impending death.
“You can hire someone to drive your car or make money for you. But you cannot hire someone to carry your illness for you. Lost material things can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when life is lost.”
Steve Jobs died at 56.
He left us all with a sobering reminder: success without meaning is just noise. Life without love is a hollow win.
My 3 takeaways?
- Prepare for your departure – not in fear, but with love.
- Leave a legacy, not a mess – financially, relationally, spiritually.
- Live today like someone you’d be proud to leave behind.
Death isn’t the enemy. It’s the mirror.
It reflects what we’ve prioritized, and what we’ve postponed.
Live like your time matters, because it does!
