The New Year's Resolution No One Talks About (But Should)
If you’re anything like us, you might already be missing that deliciously strange liminal space between Christmas and New Year’s—the black hole where time melts, to‑dos disappear, and no one knows what day it is. If you unplugged, we hope it gave you a breather, because that little pocket of magic won’t return for another year.
Now we’re all back in the grind. Your feed is probably overflowing with resolutions, anti-resolutions, productivity hacks, and “don’t you dare pressure me” January rants. So here’s something completely different to add to the mix:
You are going to die.
Yes. That’s the whole message. And also: that’s the most powerful way to start your year.
Contemplating your own death is the resolution to end all resolutions. It cuts through the noise, clarifies what truly matters, and jolts you back into the present moment—the only place where your actual life is happening. When you remember that time is limited (and that you have no idea how much of it is left), everything gets sharper, simpler, more honest.
Humans have been doing this for over 100,000 years—Buddhists, Stoics, ancient Egyptians, medieval Christians, Indigenous traditions. We’re the ones who forgot how. And somewhere in that forgetting, we also stopped fully living.
So here’s our challenge for 2026:
Make death contemplation part of your daily self‑care. Think of it as existential strength training. Start small. A few minutes. Here’s one easy Buddhist-inspired practice to try.
Make death contemplation part of your daily self‑care. Think of it as existential strength training. Start small. A few minutes. Here’s one easy Buddhist-inspired practice to try.
Once you start, your goals and intentions for the year reshuffle themselves. What matters rises. What doesn’t… evaporates.
Last year, this practice led Carolyn toward more travel, spontaneous adventures, the Hoffman Process, and devouring stacks of books. Maura wrote letters to wedding guests, hosted death dinners, dove deeper into MAID work, and embraced aging with humor. This year she’s committing to Spirit Rock’s A Year to Live program.
If you need convincing, here are a few of the science-backed benefits of thinking about death:
- Cuts through your bullshit. Excuses fall apart. What matters gets air.
- Clarifies your values. Priorities click into place.
- Boosts motivation. “Someday” becomes “now.”
- Deepens purpose. Meaning stops being something you chase and becomes something you make.
- Pulls you into the present. Life feels more vivid, right here.
- Amplifies gratitude. Even ordinary moments start to shimmer.
- Strengthens relationships. You forgive faster and love harder.
- Builds empathy. We’re all temporary; compassion gets easier.
- Ignites creativity. Mortality is powerful creative fuel.
- Keeps your ego in check. Humility = freedom.
- Encourages healthy risk-taking. Fear loses its grip; life opens.
The truth is simple:
The only thing scarier than dying is never having really lived.
The only thing scarier than dying is never having really lived.
Here’s to a year shaped by what matters most.
Marc D Malamud
Transitioning Doula
