I’ve attended two funerals in two weeks. It’s a reminder that life is short, and a chilling realization: I’ve spent most of it living half-alive. It’s the perfect catalyst for introspection.

After some pondering, here are some lessons I’d impart to my past and future self:

1. Keep it simple

Life can be challenging, and death not given a single thought. We insist on precautions to keep us “safe”, yet willfully ignore the fact that we’re going to die. We’re trapped between the fear of living and the fear of death, with no way out. The common solution for most is to numb ourselves to high heaven with cheap pleasures.

It’s a zombiefied way of living, and for what?

So that we can die… well? I thought that part was inevitable.

Knowing that I may never wake up tomorrow makes things all the much sweeter. I can appreciate my loved ones much more. I can approach work with an “I’ll do my best” mindset while remaining unattached to the outcome. All thoughts and emotions become equally beautiful (in the fleeting sense), each one a unique facet of the jewel that is human incarnation. I enjoy my cup of tea much better that way.

Death is the ultimate equalizer, and that’s the beauty of it. Indeed, there’s no better teacher for living well.

2. Enjoy the simple things

Ah yes, where’s my damn Lamborghini? Forget enjoying the moment, I must work harder to attain riches! I can’t possibly be happy without my status symbol! The customers and bosses are only in the way, I’d rather do away with them!

Despite our ingenuity, humans rarely consider the more direct path to happiness. I mean, why enjoy your cup of tea when the Lamborghini offers more status in the eyes of your peers? Even if you did end up getting the Lambo, you’re in for a shock. The driving experience is fantastic, and it looks beautiful in your garage. Congratulations, you’ve earned the awe and envy of your peers for a month! Then you worry about the scratches, the car thieves, the insurance, the maintenance. Then you remember you can’t speed around when stuck in traffic, or God-forbid, run into an accident.

That’s not saying that fancy cars are bad. The point is that we’ve got the happiness equation the wrong way round.

Why make things a prerequisite for happiness? Why not make it the other way round? Children have that one in spades, and we can learn from them. They find joy in everything, and there’s wisdom in that.

So why wait to practice enjoying the simple things? That cup of tea isn’t going anywhere.

3. Take a risk, because why not?

We live on a ball of mud hurtling through empty space at 420 m/s around a hydrogen pyre 109x its size. We pop into existence not knowing how or why we ended up here, of all places. Heck, even after 2000 years of discussion, the human collective has yet to agree on a conclusive answer.

Point is, we get so engrossed in playing it safe that we forget the above.

Knowing what I know, why do I bother playing it safe? Why be trapped between a fear of life and a fear of death?

Why should I not immerse myself in the waters of life? Why should I not try commit to and try something new? Why should I not learn along the way instead of forcing my self to drown in mindless entertainment because I don’t want to do anything about life?

I was brought up through an education system that couldn’t fully develop my potential, and the thought of working a 9 to 5 scares the shit out of me. Working and contributing to society is what I want to do, but not from the confines of an office cubicle.

I’m not going to be here forever, so I might as well enjoy the ride. The thought of not exploring my potential sounds painfully boring, and given the above I figure it’s worth a shot. After all, success or failure, I’m bound to learn something, and through me, the human collective does so, too. If it inspires people to live better lives, why not give it a shot? But that’s my two cents about it.

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Update on life: I’m now learning sales and marketing at an events company to carry over to my next venture. The plan is to start an online business to get a taste of what financial independence feels like. The goal is to get it up and running in a year, so wish me luck. Also, I’m running a marathon in December, so expect some stuff on the fitness side too.

To my Grandfather and Mr. Gilbert, I’ll miss both of you. Rest in peace, you’ve earned it.

If you’re all the way here, thanks for reading. I wish you a life well-lived.