Memento Mori: A Guide To Living Life To The Fullest

Memento Mori: The reminder you need to live your life today

Memento Mori is a Latin phrase that means “Remember you must die”.

Enslaved people would whisper this phrase to their commanders on the battlefield, preventing them from being consumed by pride and self-confidence.

Many thinkers and philosophers have used this term to remind themselves to take advantage of every moment because, one day, life will end.

We live our lives day in and day out and forget that death is just a glimpse away. For you, myself, and every organism in this universe that humanity knows of, death is the only certainty.

The only other certainty in life is birth. But since you’re reading this right now, your birth is history. So really, we’re only left with death.

Thus, the true meaning of memento mori is to cherish every second of your life in the best way possible; you never know when and where death is lurking.

And although the odds of you passing at this very moment are extremely low, we all know the day to say goodbye will come eventually.

But for now, I’m happy you’re still here. So, let’s explore why memento mori enriches your life.

Memento mori changes the way you live every day. Once you’re conscious of the fact that today could be your last day, you fully leverage the time you have.

Here are 10 ways you can do that:

Be Present

Our days are a blur. We live by a routine, moving from one duty to the next. We fantasize through the boring parts and give half our focus to the important occasions. We live on autopilot.

You miss out on life when you’re in your head inside of engaged in what you are doing. Carry out every activity like it’s the last time you will ever do it. Be present, and be mindful.

Avoid Negativity

Your entire day is ruined. You angrily scribble a note to hang on the bathroom door saying, “REPLACE TOILET PAPER WHEN IT’S OVER”. Then, you complain to Julia about it. You are devoted to holding those responsible accountable.

You see where this is going, right?

You spent an enormous amount of energy on this issue. It made you angry and rightfully so. Yet, do you really want to carry these negative emotions around all day?

Is there any benefit from them?

Of course not!

Do Activities You Enjoy

When do you spend time on the good stuff?

You aren’t a work machine, so don’t act like it. You deserve to spend time on activities that bring you joy. Practice a hobby, visit an old friend, or take a road trip.

Life is too short to spend it all on work. Set aside time in your schedule to do something fascinating.

Cherish Every Moment

You don’t appreciate the importance of the moment while it’s happening. Only when you look back do you realize that you hadn’t treasured it as you should have. You took pictures & posted them on your social networks. You got lost in thought about a problem you had that morning.

You wish you could go back and relive the event.

These are the moments you will remember. Don’t walk away with a vague memory of what happened.

Spend Time with People Who Inspire You

It’s not your money, your profession, or how many countries you’ve traveled to; your social circle is what makes you happy.

We know we should spend more time with our loved ones. At the same time, they are the first to be sacrificed when we are career-oriented.

We take them for granted and assume they will always be there. You aren’t here forever, so ensure the ones you value feel your appreciation for them.

Don’t Waste Your Time

Time is what life is made of. If you waste your time, you waste your life.

By remembering your time on earth is limited, you think twice before you spend twenty minutes on Instagram, an hour on the latest Tik Tok trends, and 3 hours on YouTube cat videos.

We complain about not having enough time, but in reality, we do have time. We spend it on the wrong things.

Create Opportunities

Create opportunities instead of waiting for someone to come to you. Be proactive. If you want something, go after it. Don’t wait for someone to talk to you, start the conversation for yourself.

Once-in-a-lifetime events don’t happen often and they don’t happen to everyone. Now that you acknowledge that you might not be here next year, it’s time to ensure you attain the success you seek.

Memento mori | Jordan Peterson

Live with Purpose

Definitely, the person who knows what she’s after.

Living with purpose does wonders for your well-being and your life satisfaction. You have a reason to wake up in the morning and strive for success. You feel like the work you do makes a difference.

To live with purpose means that you know what you want to do, what you enjoy doing, and go after it. It’s your contribution to the world.

Spend your time on activities that light your soul on fire. Leave a legacy behind you.

Take Risks

Risks are scary. What if something goes wrong and you lose everything?

You look for stable jobs and guaranteed satisfaction, but all the excitement lies behind risks. As Paulo Coelho said, “You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen.”

Remember death, and don’t let fear hold you back from having some extraordinary experiences.

Be Authentic

Who are you? What is your unique perspective on matters?

There’s only one of you, and you only get one lifetime to display your uniqueness. Why hide?

To live your life to its fullest, you must stop cowering and disguising your true self. If you’re passionate about something, let it show. If you have an opinion, don’t keep it inside.

Memento Mori might be the reminder you need to follow your passion, the reminder you need to travel the world in the post-pandemic era, or the reminder you need to reconcile and deepen your relationships.

Memento Mori is the reminder you need to enrich your life.

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