Love, Happiness and Success with Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

#457 - Memento Mori: Being Intentional and Living for Meaning

Jun 9, 2025

Join Karen Salmansohn, an author and mindset coach known for her insights on happiness and resilience, as she explores the transformative memento mori philosophy. She argues that contemplating mortality can ignite a clearer sense of purpose and joy. The discussion includes the power of identity-based habits and how writing your own eulogy can reshape your priorities. Learn about Aristotle's happiness formula and innovative ways to align daily actions with core values, ensuring your life reflects what truly matters.

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ADVICE

Make a To-Die List

Create a to-die list centered on what you'll cherish at life's end, not a typical to-do list.
Prioritize meaningful actions that matter most when you reflect on your life.

ADVICE

Write Your Eulogy to Guide Life

Write your own eulogy to imagine the person you want to be remembered as.
Reverse-engineer your habits to bridge from your current self to your ideal legacy self.

INSIGHT

Aristotle’s Take on Happiness

Aristotle teaches that happiness (eudaimonia) is about growing into your best self, distinct from fleeting pleasure.
Begin projects with an end in mind, focusing on how you want to feel at life's end to direct your choices.

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What if the secret to living your best life... is remembering that it won’t last forever?

In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success, I’m joined by author and mindset coach Karen Salmansohn to explore how the ancient principle of memento mori—remembering that you will die—can radically transform the way you live right now.

Together, we unpack how mortality awareness isn’t morbid at all—it’s deeply motivational. When you get clear on what truly matters, you can stop spinning your wheels and start living for meaning with clarity, courage, and joy.

We’ll explore identity-based habits, reverse-engineering your values, and how writing your own eulogy (yep, really!) can actually help you build a life you’re proud to live. This isn’t about bucket lists or productivity hacks—it’s about being intentional and making sure your time, energy, and love are going exactly where you want them to.

Timestamps: 0:00 – The Problem With To-Do Lists 3:12 – Facing the Funeral Test: What Will They Say About You? 6:38 – Memento Mori: Mortality as a Motivator 15:05 – Identity-Based Habits and Core Values 20:44 – Who Do You Need to Become? 24:18 – A Ripple Effect That Lasts Generations 27:35 – Aristotle’s Happiness Formula 32:10 – The Near-Life Experience We Must Escape 36:42 – Your “To-Die” List vs Your To-Do List 40:55 – Creating Daily Habits That Reflect Who You Want to Be 44:00 – What Happens When You Align With Your Core Values 47:26 – The Marble Ritual: Measuring Time With Intention 53:18 – Monthly Reflections and Making This Summer Count 58:01 – Why Fun and Gratitude Are Core Values Too 1:02:20 – It’s Not About Death—It’s About Life 1:07:08 – How to Start Living for Meaning Now

Don’t wait for a crisis to wake you up. Choose to wake up now. Live for meaning. Be intentional. Remember that life is short, and that’s what makes it beautiful.

And if you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed by where to begin, I’d love to help. My Clarity and Confidence Coaching was made for moments just like this one. In this powerful work, you’ll reconnect with your deepest values, rediscover your purpose, and learn how to make intentional choices that move you toward the life you truly want.

Whether you’re navigating a big life transition or simply ready to stop running on autopilot, coaching gives you tools, insight, and support to create lasting, meaningful change.

Curious if it’s right for you? You can schedule a free consultation with our team. We’ll talk about where you are, where you want to go, and how clarity and confidence coaching can help you bridge the gap.

Also, come hang out with me on Instagram or YouTube — I’m always sharing tips, inspiration, and behind-the-scenes real talk to help you stay connected to what really matters.

Xoxo

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

www.growingself.com

P.S. If this message resonated with you, think of someone in your life who might need to hear it too. Forward this article to them. Let’s keep the ripple going. That’s living for meaning, too.