The Next Big Idea Daily 5 Lessons the Dying Can Teach Us About Living Well
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Oct 29, 2025 Diane Button, a death doula and author of "What Matters Most," draws from her two decades of experience to share profound insights about living well. She explains how facing mortality reveals the beauty in ordinary moments and the importance of small joys. Diane emphasizes the value of a final checklist to clear regrets and highlights how kindness fosters community. Through vivid stories of her clients, she illustrates the lessons we can learn from the dying about cherishing relationships and embracing the present.
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Ordinary Moments Carry Meaning
- The dying prize ordinary, everyday moments far more than grand adventures or achievements.
- Life's meaning often lives in warm pasta, neighborhood barbecues, and messy family photos rather than highlight reels.
Joy Emerges From Presence
- People near death often become deeply joyful because they deliberately notice small pleasures.
- Practicing presence uncovers quiet joy in ordinary experiences like ice cream or a friend's visit.
The Joy Counter
- Jacob kept a small tally device and clicked it whenever he felt joy, which trained him to notice more joyful moments.
- The counter turned small pleasures into visible evidence of what remained good in his life.
