Remember you will die
Principle 21 from the Enchiridion
Some things can wait, but not everything should. Remembering that time is limited can change the size of our fears and the order of our priorities.
Original Passage
Let death and exile, and all other things which appear terrible be daily before your eyes, but chiefly death, and you will never entertain any abject thought, nor too eagerly covet anything.
Modern Interpretation
It can show up in an ordinary moment. Remembering death does not mean dwelling on something grim all day. It is a way of seeing life at a more honest scale. When we forget that time is limited, small problems grow huge and important things keep getting postponed.
Mortality can make our priorities clearer. Some conflicts suddenly look smaller, while a conversation or decision we have delayed starts to feel worth doing now. It can also loosen the urge to impress everyone or collect more as though enough possessions could protect us from an ending.
In Practice
It can show up in an ordinary moment. You are stuck in a long conflict with a sibling over something small. Every day, you replay the same argument in your head.
Ask, "If one of us were gone first, would this still matter this much?" You may still need to address the issue, but perhaps with less ego and a different tone.
Reflection Question
If you truly remembered that your time is limited, what would feel less important, and what would you want to do sooner?