Even if you’re not facing death every day, it can still be easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of your daily life and lose sight of what’s really important to you and those around you. Luckily, the people who faced death and lived to tell about it have plenty of wisdom to share with us, including how they found their purpose and true meaning in life after facing the possibility of never seeing another sunrise again. Here are 10 lessons they learned that can help us appreciate life more, too.
1) Never take what you have for granted
As a consequence of the fact that none of us really know how much time we have left on Earth, It becomes easy to take a number of things for granted, such as relationships with friends and family, our health, and even everyday luxuries like an unlimited supply of running water or electricity. On a daily basis, we can get caught up in our day-to-day activities, lose sight of what’s important in life, and not give ourselves enough credit for all that we accomplish. Life is too short to spend feeling unappreciated. The next time you think about complaining about something or someone, remember that you could be gone tomorrow, so appreciate every moment while you still can.
2) Life is too short not to chase your dreams
If there’s something you really want to do, then it’s worth taking some risks and fighting for it. If your passion is to sing or write, even if it seems like an impossible dream, follow your heart. Even if you fail, you’ll at least know that you tried—and in trying, there will always be a lesson learned. Remember: It doesn’t matter how many times you fall down; it matters how many times you get back up.
3) Live every day like it’s your last
If you had to come back from death and make a bucket list of things to do before you kick it for good, what would be on it? Not only do we all have an expiration date, but now is truly the only time we have. We can’t predict what’s going to happen in our futures—and that’s just fine! What matters is that we take life by its horns and live each day like it could be our last.
4) Things are often not what they seem on the surface
They say that when you’re in a coma, you don’t feel like you’re in a dream. And even though it appears that your mind is asleep, some people who have had near-death experiences claim they are more alive than ever before.
5) Appreciate family more than ever before
It’s a cliché that we’re not aware of how much time we have with those around us until it’s too late, but clichés exist for a reason. If you’ve gone through something traumatic and survived, you learn to appreciate family and relationships like never before.
6) Count your blessings
There are many things to be grateful for, no matter how bad things get—you still have family and friends, food to eat, and a warm place to sleep. Many people who come back from life-threatening injuries say that when they were laying at death’s door, they thought about all of these good things, and it made them even more thankful for life. Take a step back and count your blessings.
7) Love is a beautiful thing
You never know how much someone means to you until they’re gone. When talking to those who came back from near-death experiences, most emphasized how important it is to live life for yourself, but at its best when shared with others. This seems like a no-brainer, but many of us forget that our loved ones are here with us only once, and we should enjoy every second with them while we can. Love is a beautiful thing. It transcends death.
8) Happiness comes from within so focus on yourself first
It is easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing, but if you are looking for true happiness find it within yourself first. It does not matter if you have nothing or everything; what matters is that you are enjoying your life and finding meaning in it.
9) Money isn’t everything and there’s always someone richer or poorer than you
Money isn’t everything. When you focus on it too much, you lose sight of what really matters in life. There’s always someone richer or poorer than you—focus on what truly matters. Make sure your values are aligned with your life and remember that happiness is not a destination; it’s a feeling we get throughout our lives that fluctuates based on our perception of what we want and how close to those goals we feel we are. Life is short—live yours to its fullest extent.
10) We actually live in a society with messed up values
So many people are trying to be more than who they are and end up being less. Don’t put so much weight on what you have or don’t have. Don’t live your life just because it’s expected of you. Some things are worth dying for, but your life isn’t one of them.
