Every day is a pervasive reminder of our own mortality. The reason I was not able to post this weekend was due to the fact that, within the span of a couple days, I celebrated someone’s birthday and attended another person’s funeral. When I left the funeral Sunday, the idea of my own mortality buried deep inside my mind and burrowed between my thoughts. I couldn’t help but think about it, about what mortality meant, about the reason for my own existence (as existential as that sounds). And I came to the following conclusion: While we may only get a certain amount of time to walk this earth, and while our mortality can be strikingly clear to us, there is a way we can make lasting imprints and leave our own immortal legacies: through writing.  I came up with two stages of mindsets that may help to define your relationship with the concept of mortality.

1. Your Mind is Associated with “Mortality” and Detachment If…

You think about mortality and it does not necessarily bother you, or you view your own mortality as one of your biggest fears. Either way, you have detached from the true concept of death and the circle of life. Don’t worry, though; this is a common reaction. When the mind does this, its main goal is to distract you. It allows you to look at mortality as if it is an entirely separate entity. You observe it with a bird’s eye view, away from yourself. You acknowledge it yet do not create anything positive from it; many times, to add to the distractions, you fill your life with meaningless means of pleasure and superfluous reasons to exist. If this describes you and your relationship with mortality, I highly suggest you change your perspective of yourself and the world you live in. In order to rediscover your own reasons to truly live and not simply survive, try to adhere to Step 2 below.

       2. Your Mind is Associated with “Immortality” and Acceptance If…

You embrace the fact that your world will not go on forever, and yet, at the same time, you live every day to its fullest. You devote yourself to others, expand your thoughts to create an open mind, and, most of all, you use your time to create. By writing your story as well as feeling compelled to record others’ stories around you, you recognize the fact that you will not live forever. But you are determined that your memory will. You realize that writing is just one way to make your life immortal, and that dwelling on the past in a negative light simply opens old wounds and limits success. If you desire immortality, you recognize that one of the only ways to achieve it is through creation. Remember: Make art, not war. An immortal heart gives more. 

Comment below if you have any thoughts on whether you have nurtured a mortal or immortal mindset. I’d love to hear what you think!