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Dan's new book for millennials, Wealthier: The Investing Field Guide for Millennials, will be published on May 15, 2024, and available on Amazon.
Death is one of humanity's oldest and deepest fears. The prospect of no longer existing and everything we know and love coming to an end is understandably terrifying.
But research from various scientific fields suggests that many of our fears about death are unfounded or exaggerated.
1. A peaceful transition
Evidence suggests the moment of death is peaceful, not painful.
Frightening symptoms like breathing issues improve as we near death.
More than 85% of palliative-care patients have no symptoms when they die.
Accounts from most people who have experienced near-death experiences often describe leaving the body as a positive experience leading to “a more altruistic life, higher spiritual growth, having interest in the meaning of life, fewer materialistic values, or a reduction in the fear of death.”
Researchers theorize that endorphins (and possibly serotonin) are massively released in the final moments, creating a euphoric-like state of tranquility.
2. Death may not be “the end”
Our consciousness may continue in some form after death.
The interconnected, quantum nature of the universe raises the possibility that consciousness emerges from the physical world as a fundamental property rather than being created by neurons in the brain. This could allow consciousness to continue after death in some form, perhaps in a parallel universe.
No less an intellect than Albert Einstein subscribed to his theory. After his close friend, Michele Besso, died in 1955, he wrote: “That signifies nothing. For those of us who believe in physics, the distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.”
3. Another life?
There are many reported cases of children recounting experiences of past lives. Some have been subjected to rigorous scientific scrutiny without rational explanation for their uncanny recollections.
One British child believed he was a German pilot in World War II. When he was only two, he was obsessed with crashing his plane and drawing symbolic images. He wanted to live in Germany and “had an unusual taste for sausages and thick soups.”
Researchers investigating some of these cases believe there are no explanations for this behavior.
Wealthier:
The Investing Field Guide for Millennials.
Why have so many financial advisors agreed to review an advance copy of Wealthier: The Investing Field Guide for Millennials. It empowers millennials to be responsible DIY investors and financial planners. You can see some of their reviews here.
Wealthier will be published on May 15, 2024
Here’s what one advisor said: "Saplings grow into trees. We need to help the next generation of investors get to where they need our services."
For more information, visit the website for Wealthier:
To review Wealthier send an e-mail to: [email protected]
4. We live on through others
Some psychologists believe we live on after death through a “spirit” that persists in tangible ways.
Bobby Azarian, Ph.D., explains, “[T]hey live on because 'soul' is just another word for their consciousness, which is a result of specific patterns of brain activity. And when you know that person so well – their beliefs, passions, idiosyncrasies, and how they see the world – then those neural patterns exist in your brain as well, and the brains of all those who were close to them."
5. Death gives meaning to our lives
While not free from controversy, some believe death bestows an appreciation for life's fragility, beauty, and importance that would be impossible if existence lasted forever.
Daisaku Ikeda, a Japanese Buddhist philosopher, wrote, “An awareness of death gives greater meaning to our lives. Awakening to death’s reality prompts us to seek the eternal and motivates us to make the most of each moment.”
Faith
Many find solace in their faith's teachings regarding the afterlife and the continuity of the soul/spirit after death. Belief in a positive afterlife (heaven, paradise, reincarnation, etc.) can ease fears about death.
The idea of being reunited with deceased loved ones in the afterlife brings hope and additional comfort.
Final (pun intended) thoughts
While the prospect of death will always provoke some level of existential anxiety, the evidence suggests many of our deepest fears about the end of life are exaggerated.
From accounts indicating dying can be a peaceful transition to theories that consciousness persists after bodily death to the possibility of reincarnation or living on through our impact on loved ones, numerous perspectives cast death not as a terrifying void of nothingness but a profound transition or transformation we don't yet fully understand.
Though we may never definitively know what lies beyond, an open-minded look at the evidence reveals death may be less about eternal darkness and more about an awe-inspiring mystery worth accepting with courage and curiosity rather than fear.
Dan coaches evidence-based financial advisors on how to convert more prospects into clients. His digital marketing firm is a leading provider of SEO, website design, branding, content marketing, and video production services to financial advisors worldwide.
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Advisor Perspectives welcomes guest contributions. The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of Advisor Perspectives.
Here’s what one advisor said: "Saplings grow into trees. We need to help the next generation of investors get to where they need our services."