I’ve been thinking about mortality a lot lately. Not in a spiral-of-fear kind of way. More like an itch that keeps reminding me this isn’t going to last forever.

Turning 40 has made that feel especially real. Because it’s not just about getting older. It’s about running out of time to put things off. For most of my life, I kept telling myself I’d eventually become the person I wanted to be. That one day, things would click into place, and I’d suddenly be more courageous. More focused. More at peace.

But there is no “eventually.” There’s just today. And if you’re lucky, tomorrow.

There’s a phrase in Stoicism, memento mori. It means “remember you will die.” Not to scare you. But to free you.

Because the truth is, we spend a ridiculous amount of time worrying about things that won’t matter when we’re gone. Other people’s opinions. Perfect timing. Endless preparation. We convince ourselves we need more before we can start living.

But what if this is the only version of life you get? What if this moment, right now, is the part you’ll wish you had savored?

The worst decisions I’ve made have come from fear. The best ones? From finally realizing fear wasn’t going to save me. It was just going to keep me waiting.

So yeah, we’re all going to die. And honestly, that’s what makes this all matter. This breath. This choice. This shot.

Don’t waste it. Don’t wait for a version of yourself that’s more ready. Start now. Live on purpose. And consider yourself lucky if you wake up tomorrow and get to do it again.