Death is a Reminder of Limits

During one of our weekly date nights, my wife began telling me a story she read about an entrepreneur who tragically lost her young husband to death. Out of the blue, he began vomiting blood, was rushed to the hospital and died. It was that fast. Without warning, his life concluded, leaving behind a mess, sadness and many unanswered questions.

She said she cried reading while reading this woman’s story.

My initial reply was why did you keep reading it? Why would you want to face the morbid inevitable by finishing it? Perhaps, it’s because it helps her feel comfortable with the reality of the final chapter that we will all face. Perhaps hearing someone else’s experience helps us to understand the unknown.

I have the benefit of having this outlet (my 1851 column) to share my thoughts, my dreams and my wishes. Sharon, Jagger and Lennon will all be able to read back on my happiness and love for them. This is part of the reason why I often like to publicly share what’s in my heart and mind—especially as it relates to my personal life. This way, I have no regrets.

I constantly think about my own last day. I know it will come, which is why I try to live as many moments of my day with a smile. What I desire is that it is painless and not scary. I, like many, hope to die in my sleep in my old age.

Unfortunately, that hope isn’t always the one that matches reality. Our pathway is somewhat out of our control (with the exception of exercising and eating right).

Life is short—it’s OK to demand smiles.

I don’t like bad days or bad moments—and when I do experience one, I try to find ways to exit. Most of the time, it’s my wife or my children that bring me back to = happiness. I need them to help return my mind to the right place. We all need a positive escape.

Death teaches us that none of us are invincible. It teaches us that we should never take too much for granted. Spending our limited time in this world not appreciating the little things will only breed regret.

Living life with no regrets is an extremely valuable mindset—but it’s not necessarily easy to follow. If you try to find happy moments in each day, you have a chance of saying you did it right when that last day comes. I plan on having many more good days than bad days, and I plan on not letting the negativity of others impact my = happiness.

There are many things you cannot control, but one thing that you can control is your mood. Find a way to celebrate every waking moment so that you can smile on your way out of this crazy, crazy world.

Nick Powills, CFE, founded No Limit Agency in 2008 and serves as Chief Brand Strategist for the Chicago-based firm. No Limit is a full-service communications agency that establishes and elevates brands by bridging Public Relations, Social Media, Marketing, Advertising, Digital, and a lot of creativity, to best strategize well-rounded and successful campaigns for 50+ global franchise brands. By presenting visionary ideas and building real relationships, No Limit is able to create effective media branding strategies to help companies grow. Nick currently leads a staff of writers, media strategists, designers, social media experts and digital producers in an office think-tank where brands are humanized for strong, compelling media stories. Prior to starting No Limit at the age of 27, Nick spent four years working at a franchise PR agency where he mastered the art of building rapport with media outlets and creating newsworthy pitches for earned media placements. He holds a Bachelor of Journalism from Drake University in Iowa.

Death is a Reminder of Limits

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