The longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II passed away on 8 Sept 2022, and it is certainly one of the biggest events in 2022. Millions of people around the world tuned in to witness this historical moment, or should I say, moments. We've witnessed the Queen's lavish funeral, the new King appointed, the Princess accompanying her mother for the last ride, Prince William and Harry reunited again, and many more. 

Something strikes me while looking at these events taking place, something I never thought of up till now. And so, here are a few things that I've learned from one of the most influential people, Queen Elizabeth IIs death.

#1 Plan for your death

 As reported, the Queen has planned out and even rehearsed her own funeral. You don't have to rehearse your funeral, nor do I think that's even possible, but planning for it is definitely a yes! Things like where and how you want to be buried, how you want your funeral to be like, and what words you want to be written on your stone. 

Many think that this is a taboo topic, and talking about it might lead to some negative happenings. But when the time comes, there's no warning sign given, and by then, your family will become the one to help you decide. Imagine when you are still grieving for your loved one's death, and at the same time, you have to plan out all the things for him/her by recalling back what he/she liked or hated, how hard that would be. Planning for your death is not a taboo, but a way of showing your love and responsibility, or at least, a courtesy to those you left behind.

#2 Your will

You may think that the Queen is a queen and she has millions of fortune, while you are no one and have not many things left to be distributed. Think again. Small little things matter too, like your house, your car, your pets, the clothes you have in your wardrobe, the items in your house and also your investment plan and insurance. Same as planning for your death, writing your will make things much easier for other people. And that leads me to the following point.

#3 Apprecietiating the people around you

You'll never know who is important to you until you stop and take a good look at how your life has been. Humans can be easily distracted by the need of moving forward. Many of us are used to longing for more in our life and that we never really appreciate what we have now. Writing will and planning for your death is actually an amazing pause in your life to recap what has happened in your lifetime. It might look insignificant, but once you have done it, you'll understand and realise so many things, what is right, what is wrong, who is good to you, and who is bad to you.

#4 Be the master of your life and death

There's an old saying: Death gives meaning to life. This is exceptionally true. In fact, death is not as scary as you think. It is just like trying to achieve your KPI at work. How you want your life to be, depends on how you treat it. If you have your game plan and follow it through, that life you dreamt of becomes achievable. But if you live your life blankly, regrets will be by your bedside when you exhale your last breath. Therefore, we shouldn't avoid talking about death, but on the contrary, we should be thinking about it more and start doing the right things. Only then, when the time comes, it is just like welcoming an old friend, or a much-anticipated appraisal. 

#5 Forgive, Forget and Move on

The word, Death is often accompanied by another word, Regrets. This not only includes ticking off all the items on our bucket list but also, reconciling our relationship with someone. If we've done something wrong in the past, we apologise for what we did, and if someone else has made a mistake, we forgive them for what they've done. We are not doing this for others, but for ourselves. We make peace with the past event, relieve ourselves from that emotion, and eventually, move on. Surprisingly, on many occasions, the one that we are looking for forgiveness is ourselves. 

To sum it all up, death is life, and it is surely not a taboo, but something we openly talk about and care about. May you live a full life.