or just looking around at the people here and knowing that we're all temporary .

- "Ew, gross. There's a fly in my water." - "Someday, we'll all be a fly in water."

Or wondering how I'm gonna die.

"Let me know if you ever want me to come to your house…"

"just for fun."

- "She's gonna wear my skin. This is the last face I will ever see."

I think being mindful of death helps you truly live because it shifts everything into perspective.

You don't sweat the small stuff as much, it motivates you to do what you truly want to do,

and you start measuring your happiness by experiences, and how fulfilling your relationships are.

And sure sometimes it becomes incredibly overwhelming and you have to lay in bed

and just wonder what the point of all of this is, but it's impacted my life in beautiful ways.

Thinking about death has made me a more present human being

because it's a constant reminder that tomorrow is not a guarantee .

It makes me want to be a more compassionate and giving person

because when you're confronted with the idea of your own mortality you have to ask yourself:

like, what mark do I want to leave on this world?

How do I want to measure my self-worth and what is gonna make my life meaningful?

And knowing how impermanent and small I am in comparison to the vastness of the universe

I've kind of come to the conclusion that I would define my life a success

if I made meaningful art that inspired people, if I helped as many animals and human beings as I could,

and if I had incredibly loving relationships with my friends and family.

Being so obsessed with death at such an early age actually forced me to create a life philosophy,

and I encourage you to do the same.

This is one sentence that you can live your entire life by, it's like your thesis statement or a

mantra that resonates with you that you can come back to again and again when life's

finalities trick you into thinking you're going to be here forever.

spoiler alert : You're not.

Mine is, and has been for like the last fifteen years: "I love, therefore I am."

Let me know what your life philosophy is I would love to hear it.

I'm Anna Akana stay uh…

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