End of Life Planning

Planning for the end of your life is one of the most kind and generous things you can do for the people left behind. Being clear about your wishes can save them a lot of stress and heartache at a time when they may be feeling overwhelmed with grief at your death.

It can also give you a sense of control and agency knowing that your wishes have been communicated. And it’s never too early to get your affairs in order (and a much easier task to tackle when death does not feel imminent)

These three resources are designed to help you initiate and focus tender and practical conversations with those closest to you.

What resources will you receive?

The Death File

The Death File - I call this ‘death-min’ (or death admin). It’s not sexy, but it’s important. Because - let's be honest - death is the one certainty in life. The admin involved when someone dies is quite intense - and so when you’re gone, whoever is doing your paperwork will be SO grateful you’ve taken the time to put this together! (And it can be weirdly satisfying if you’re a person who enjoys a checklist, or likes to be organised!). This resource offers suggestions for how to create a ‘Death File’ - and includes a list of all the things that should be in it.

The After Party

This one is for helping you (and the people closest to you) think about your wishes for your send off/funeral/celebration of life/after party, and how you would like your life to be remembered. If dying isn't something you’ve ever talked about before, this resource offers gentle prompts and some structure for embarking on this tender conversation. And you might even find it fun!

When we really engage with a conversation about our final send off, we often discover deeper truths about ourselves and each other. Thinking about the way we want our lives to be remembered can reveal our deepest values, and can impact the way we choose to use the time we are alive…..so it’s never too early to start exploring these questions!

The Retrospective

This can be done at any stage of life - reflecting on your journey so far can be a life-affirming and cathartic practice. It is also a good tool to use with family members who might otherwise not be keen to talk about death and dying - because it is simply about reflecting on life (so far)! It offers gentle questions and some structure for sharing their life story.

Why not print it off and set aside some time to sit with someone you love and record their reflections on their life?