PLANNING TO DIE

When you say something like “Planning to die” it can really send a scary message to folks who know you, so let’s get this out of the way upfront: I’m not sick, I‘m not expecting a soon-death. But I am a planner and death is certain. That’s what this is about.

I think about death a lot. Not in an emo or dark-fascination sort of way, but in a “be prepared” sort of way. I’ve lost quite a few people across my life and in none of those circumstances was there any sort of instruction manual on how to handle the whole thing while also dealing with a tremendous amount of grief and manage your regular life, too. Sitting across from a funeral planner is not the best time to be figuring some of this stuff out. And even with all the available guides and checklists out there, I haven’t really found too many that cover some of the things I remember dealing with. Thinking is hard when you’re in grief. And I think we can make it easier on our loved ones if we take care of some of the easy stuff before we die.

I have a file folder in my fire-proof safe at home titled, “If I die” where whoever is left to deal with things upon my passing can find some helpful instructions on what to do. Believe me, even a little bit of thought here goes a long way. So, this month for #tinychallenges, I’m going to share some things I’ve learned about getting your affairs in order for those who may have to deal with this upon your parting. If you’d like, you can follow along each day and create your own “If I die” folder. I’m not sure I’ll have a whole 30-days of stuff, but I’ll walk you through the details of what I’ve put together on my end and we’ll see just how many days in April we can break it apart into. If you have more tips/tricks/ideas, please share them because we could make this really good!

A couple notes/thoughts/disclaimers:

  • I am not certified in anything death-prep related, selling anything, or associated with anyone who is any of those things. I’m simply sharing some stuff I’ve done in my own life to help out those left to deal with my stuff when I do pass on. It’s based on my own experiences with loss. Seems like useful info to share.
  • This list is for the average working person, who simply may not be thinking about what their loved ones might need to do if you pass away. Think of it as a handy “If I die — here’s what to do first” kit. A lot of folks already have the Will/Trust thing figured out. That’s awesome. You may still find some useful bits here.
  • I have no intention of offending anyone by taking a bit of a lighthearted approach to death planning, it’s just a bit of who I am.

Here’s my plan for this 30-day, #tinychallenges series:

  • I’ll be writing within a 30-minute time window each day.
  • This is mostly an excuse to JUST WRITE SOMETHING EVERY DAY.
  • I post without much editing, sorry in advance, it’s a 1-month challenge. Gotta keep moving.
  • I am aiming for 1 post per day, every day in April, so I’ll make things pretty granular.
  • I won’t take myself too seriously. Let’s keep it light, death is heavy enough on its own.
  • My hashtags: #tinychallenges #deathplan

So let’s make it a little bit easier on the living-loves. Yes?! 
 Talk to you tomorrow!