How To Own Your Life: Own Your Death

Free to go makes you free to stay!

The fact that we are all going to die is not some great mystery. 

It comes to us all at some point.

The challenge is we just don’t know when.

The even bigger challenge for most of us is that – like creating abundant financial freedom – we aren’t taught how to die well and free.

Our lives are but “a parentheses in eternity” as the title of Joel Goldsmith’s book goes, but what a spectacular thing it is, this life in parentheses.

Life! This extraordinary opportunity we each get to experience being human. 

Secret number #1
to living an authentic, truly wealthy, juicy life is knowing that
this precious gift of life is transient and rapidly coming to an end. 

With that knowledge resting true in our beings we can hold the paradox that, at the end of the day, none of this is important… and yet every moment is exquisitely important because it’s so damn precious.

Secret number #2
to living a really juicy life is realising
that you are already in paradise. 

You ARE ALREADY FREE. 

There is no THERE to get to.

You are already IN the most exquisite, crazy, amazing, f*cked up, delicious, delightful, devastating, sexy, fabulous, frustrating life possible… 

…and soon you’re going to get kicked out of paradise… you just don’t know when.

So let’s make the most of it. 

Making the most of it includes being prepared for when we are kicked out.

Making the most of it includes being able to sit with this truth even if it feels devastating and possibly terrifying. 

Secret number #3
to savouring every moment of being alive is having the admin
and logistics of your farewell taken care of,
so you can relax and enjoy the ride. 

I believe one of the most profound ways to truly experience this life fully is to know and own the fact that the end of these parentheses is coming – and to plan for a fabulous fret-free finale.

A farewell…

• Free of fear
• Free of anxiety
• Free of financial stress
• Free of confusion
• Free of conflict
• Free of unspoken wishes and dream
• Free of administrative nightmares
• Free of family conflict

This is achieved by having your death admin sorted – having considered and answered some profoundly important questions.

Sadly, a deep shadow is cast on so many people’s final farewells because they didn’t sort out the death stuff while they were alive. 

Why is this aspect of creating a wealthy life so neglected?

In most western cultures we have a deep aversion to death. Being disconnected from death makes us less connected to life.

Speaking about death is almost as taboo as speaking about money.

You might even be thinking, “Hey, Ann, what does this have to do with money and creating wealth?” 

We are only free to stay when we are free to go.

• Being free to go means knowing we have dealt with the intense emotions and intense logistics that checking out of this life entails.
• Being free to go means we know that our loved ones are taken care of financially and emotionally.
• Being free to go means we know our wishes will be honoured and implemented even when we can no longer advocate for ourselves.
• Being free to go means we have dealt with the things we need to deal with in this life.

Ensuring we are free to go is firstly a gift to ourselves, but it is also an incredible gift for those we love. 

There is something profoundly cruel in checking-out with your life admin in a mess and leaving those you love to sort it all out.

There is something deeply passive-aggressive in making your loved ones guess what your wishes might have been at this final farewell.

Get the end-of-life admin sorted so you can get back to living this glorious life fully.

Ensure these 5 areas are sorted:

➤ Your Loved Ones and your Legacy

• Make an examined and conscious decision about what you want to leave to whom and why.
• Understand the complexity of “beyond the grave” financial control; get clarity on what you really want your legacy to be.
• Communicate these intentions clearly.
• Make legal and financial provision for your wishes to be fulfilled.
• Guide your loved ones on how to divide up the sentimental spoils (this is an area so many people get devastatingly wrong with devastating consequences on relationships).

➤ The Financial Stuff

• Get to grips with life insurance and funeral insurance – know what you need, how much you need, and why you do or don’t need it; get it in place if you do.
• Ensure you have made provision for outstanding debts and mortgages.
• Make provision for your final exit party so your loved ones don’t have to sell assets or go into debt to fulfil your wishes.

➤ The Legal and Paperwork 

Get these in place to ensure your loved ones, your legacy and your assets are all taken care of:

• Have a valid up-to-date will.
• Appoint an executor – this should never be your bank or financial advisor.
• Have in place a Financial Directive (also known as “Powers of Attorney”).
• Have in place a Health Directive (also known as a “Living Will”).
• Write a Letter of Wishes.
• Create a Living or Enduring trust if applicable.

➤ The Practicalities

• Create a “Book of Death” with all your life’s admin in it to make it easy for those you love to sort things out.
• Have your passwords and accounts safely stored but accessible to your executor.
• Ensure all the info they will need is compiled in a convenient way and stored safely. 

➤ The Final Celebration of YOU

• Decide what you want done with your remains and communicate it.
• Think about what celebrating your life should include and state your wishes – including those who may not attend or make speeches, LOL (yes, you can have the final say).
• Make financial provision for your wake (your final party).

Make these particular parentheses in time called YOUR LIFE shine brightly.

Here’s to celebrating you!

 Big love

 Ann

 P.S. If you don’t yet have this aspect of your wealthy life sorted, take a look at the How To Have The Greatest Final Hooray Masterclass.