Some years ago, I asked a close friend and mentor how he felt about the changes accompanying his aging. His response was as enlightening as instructive, and it gave me pause. “It reminds me that life is fleeting and how fortunate I am to be here, to be well and to have the special people in my life.”
I’ve continued to reflect on his response and the conversation that followed. So when I read the meditation or reflection described early in this article on happiness—the meditation on death—I was immediately engaged. Where appropriate and relevant to my clients, I’ll be discussing it with them, too.
People who apply the “last-year test” tend to spend more time on the things that give them the most satisfaction.
Source: To Be Happier, Start Thinking More About Your Death – The New York Times