If you want to create your ideal life….think of the end and work backwards.

And, one valuable way to do this is to…..WRITE YOUR OWN OBITUARY!
 

What is an obituary?

(ō-bĭch′o͞o-ĕr′ē)

n. pl. obituaries

A published notice of a death, sometimes with a brief biography of the deceased.

We know no one likes to think about death. But death is inevitable and,  if you are a Christian, you are not to fear death but rather to look forward to hearing a “well done” from God.

And if you follow the Garden Of Eden System, you will hear a “Well Done. My Good and Faithful Servant!”

So to help you think through what you believe your Purpose is, and the type of life you want to live as you fulfill this Purpose, you will write your own obituary.

Here are Ten Tips to Creating a Great Obituary that will propel you to creating a great Life.

You can use the Template at the end to compile all these points into an actual funeral program.

1 .  Read the Obituary section of a major newspaper, such as the New York Times, or a local equivalent. Read the list of names and also read some of the longer featured obituaries.

You can also choose to look at the obituary of a famous and well-known figure.

Read how people lived their lives and how the newspaper reported on their deaths.

Look at the varieties of lifestyles, professions, achievements, family members and laudatory remarks. One thing you can be assured of in the obituary section: You will find every single class, race, and category of person included! No one can escape!

Make some notes of what you learn from this reading. Identify some key elements of people’s life. If there is a person who struck you as very interesting, ask yourself why.

2.  Write Out Your Death Notice.

The death notice is the formal announcement of the passing of a person. Think far into the future and write the name and designation you wish to have at that time. You can call yourself Dr, PhD, Mrs, Esq., Bishop or Professor. Remember you are creating your end-story. Make it the end story that YOU WANT!

Add the place and time of your death. Think of where you want to be at the end of your life. Do you wish to be back in your original hometown, or in the city where you are now, or some other location? You get to decide.

Include the cause of your death. Think about how you want to die? Do you want to die at home surrounded by family and friends? Or do you want to die by the beach looking out at the waves? Perhaps you want to be working in your garden or studio. Most people may want to die in their sleep. But there is nothing wrong with a desire to die in a dangerous sport or activity, in a blaze of glory. This is up to you.

At what age will you die? Give yourself your full timeline. Write 102, if you dare. Why not? If I am writing my death notice, I’d give myself as much time on the earth as I wish. And I’d have good health until the end. Who wouldn’t? Remember you are creating an end product to move toward. Move toward something positive and beneficial.

3. List Your Family and Kin.

An obituary usually includes the names of family members. Do you not yet have a spouse of children, but you desire to? Then include them in your list of family members who will be present in your death. 

Create names of nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles if you have to.  

Add friends and more friends that you have now if you wish to have more friends.

4. Add Your Professional Biography

Include the professional accomplishments you will like to have by the time of your death. Where do you want to have worked or what businesses do you want to have owned or been a part of? What do you want on your official resume? What schools do you want to have attended? If you are young, in your 20s or 30s, you will have a lot of opportunity to work in different jobs and careers. Perhaps you wish to own several businesses. Add all these to your bio.

Will you choose to be in academia, church ministry or the military? Research their formats for death notices, if these exist, and incorporate it in your obituary.

5. List Membership Organizations and Charities.

List your groups or associations and include whether you were an officer or had some leadership role. Groups can include: Sports, arts, culture, travel, and book clubs; Alumni associations; community groups such as the Rotary or public speaking groups such as ToastMasters.

Were you involved in specific charities or non-profit organizations? Have you devoted time to hospitals or international programs for youth development? Perhaps you wish to leave a gift to one of these groups and you want this included in your obituary. Yes, let everyone know you are giving a million dollar donation for the wing of a school. Create a great, generous future for yourself.

6. Share Hobbies and interests.

If appropriate, list your hobbies, interests and activities you enjoyed doing as relaxation or recreation. Were you a jazz aficionado or in love with art history? Do you want your friends to know about your collection of orchids? Have you traveled to every continent? Did you cruise every winter? Let these unique interests shine through in your obituary.

7. Describe your personality.

How do you want to be remembered? Did you have a specific outlook on life, or a particular philosophy in life? Do you have something unique that was the theme of your life? Here is where you can remind family and friends of your uniqueness.

Did you spend your life seeking to bring out the creativity of children or were you always organizing social events because you were a social person

Include interesting facts about your life that you want to publicly share. Perhaps there is an aspect of you that no one really knows. At your funeral what will you want to share about this? After a friend died, I found a portfolio of her drawings and poems that I never knew about. I thought what would she have wanted to do with these. If it were in her obituary, perhaps she would have had a poetry reading.

Did you climb Mount Kilmanjaro, publish 5 books, create a nonprofit that solved a humanitarian crisis by the time of your death? Did you die with the entire village at your home? Were you memorialized by an artist? Write it all down. You are creating a picture of your future to help you fulfill your purpose in life.

8. Special Funeral arrangements:

Do you have special arrangements for your funeral? Do you want an altar call, or a celebration in dance? What about your cultural practices? Are there specific designations necessary to respect your tribe or culture? Do you want donations to be made to a specific organizations, perhaps in place of flowers. Add all these to this section.

9. The Repast.

This is the meal after the funeral where friends and family gather to grieve, or to celebrate. What do you wish to be served to celebrate your transition to the next life? Write the details of the food, décor, music, and any other feature of the repast. Add some unique element that reflects your Purpose and who you were at the time of your death?

10.  Special Media and Photos

Do you want to have photos, special songs, and scripture verses? If you were a world traveler, perhaps you’d like a display from your travels. If you wrote books, perhaps have a book display.

Do you want a video or audio to play? What will be on this video and what will you say on the audio? Do you want a specific host or band to perform? Will you leave a personal voice recording of thankfulness or a song.

This is your decision and it will help to drive you toward whatever you choose. My cousin was a music instrument manufacturer and had a memorial concert with performers who bought his instruments over the years. It was an amazing experience and exactly the way he lived his life.

This obituary exercise is to get you to focus on how you want to be at the end of your life. 
With this in hand, you can begin to create the plan to accomplish all the great things you developed.

Now, where do you want to end up?

These things do not happen by chance. They are the result of lives lived well and planned. And you can have such a life. But it has to be planned.

The Garden of Eden Creation system will allow you to create the life you want in a God-centered and Bible based way. This system follows the pattern of the Creator as he created the earth; You will move from The VOID to a beautiful Garden of Eden. And this pattern from the Creator was revealed so that you may become all he envisioned when he created you.

There are many principles, most are more enjoyable than this Obituary technique – such as the PowerTalk, your A Team and the G.O.O.D rating scale. All these are focused on getting you to a place where you can confidently state your God-given Purpose and you develop a Roadmap to execute that Purpose so that you can live a wonderful life.

Now Here is  an Obituary Template

X [name: (include nickname, Jr., Sr., etc.] of [address/city], age [age], died on [date of death] at [ place of death] from [cause of death].

X was born in [place of birth] on [date of birth] to [parents]

X was the wife/husband of [spouse]. They were married on [date of marriage] and had [children].  

X attended [education, military honors, awards, etc.]

X worked at [job] OR retired from [last job]. X began his/her career at [career and professional bio].

X was an avid [interests, hobbies] and a member of [clubs, groups and organizations]

X was a dedicated member [church community.]

Everyone knew X as [personality and special interests]

X is survived by [family and other kin.]

[If this is for an online or live funeral….you can add]: Please enjoy the following: [media, video, performances]

There, you have done something so few people do themselves. 

Write this out. Keep the accomplishments sections in your mind as you build your life. Review it annually to ensure you are moving in the direction of your end goal.

First of all, know that you still have 6 months left in 2020 and you can make it a GREAT and AMAZING YEAR.

Yes, I know the first half knocked most of us off our seat due to the COVID19 virus and the resulting quarantine and economic slow down.

But, if you are reading this, it means you are still here. And so, you have to keep working on fulfilling Your Purpose and your assignment in the earth.

Remember, 2020 and the external shocks, were not a surprise to God, your Father and Creator. His plan for you was not derailed. He will lead you. Keep in touch with your Trinity Team!

So let us look at how we can make the best of 2020. 

1. First, we start with the Wheel of Life

What were your goals for each area? No doubt, you may need to adjust these goals.

It’s OK to adjust your initial 2020 Goals. If you knew what was ahead in January and predicted this year, please let us in to your little secret.  

Actually, if you look carefully, you may find that you were guided by God leading up to March 2020.

I, for one, was planning to buy a home.  Initially, I started to look at apartments, and began to think of financing options. I viewed an apartment, but did not feel right about the design or the pricing. So I moved on. Then less than 30 days later, the entire pandemic swept the world. While in self-isolation, I re-assessed the  location and type of home I wanted. Now, I am looking in a different city for. And, an outdoor balcony, patio or garden became a must. So, I needed to adjust my plan.

2. ReFocus and ReSet the Target for Dec31st

Given where you are now, where do you need to be at the end of the year? Perhaps your short term career, business or family goals have changed. That’s fine. This is what you do when you are rerouted, due to an obstacle in your path.

With your Purpose understood and defined, you can make an adjustment and still fulfill what God designed for you.

My personal goals were adjusted after I saw how the small virus disrupted life and caused so much death and anxiety. I decided that what was supposed to be a small move in July became a bolder move later in the year.  Also, I reviewed my book business and decided  building the online community was  a priority. So investment in training and learning was added to the list.

Set a specific and tangible goal for Dec31st. And write it down, either in a journal or on your phone or laptop. We do have the Planner to help you with keeping track of your goals.

Set  a specific Financial Goal, a Career Goal, a Fitness or Health Goal and a Ministry or Community Goal. And determine what resources you will need to meet this goal.

What do you need to add to your list to get to the Dec 31^st Goal?

3. Set an Interim Milestone for 3Q, ending September 30

Milestones toward your goal keep you focused and moving in the right direction.  Imagine if there were no markers on your trip and you went off-course for a long detour. Then, you had to turn around and get back to the last familiar point. You lose time, energy, opportunity and perhaps money. The first three can never be replaced.  Money can be replaced, but it may take you longer.

Keep the markers in view. If you look for a marker that is not present, then stop. Perhaps you need to pull to the side of the road. Take your foot off the gas. Look around. Consult your GPS. Evaluate where you are. Are you off track, off on a distraction, following a shiny penny that has nothing to do with your Purpose???  This is why you need regular milestones.

Work backwards from that December31st goal and set an interim milestone for September 30^th. Identify what you need to accomplish as a stepping stone toward the goal for  December 31^st?

Do you need education, assistance, guidance, or input from others?

List these stepping stones  in your journal or notes app. And set the September 30^th Milestone.

4. Create Your Monthly Objectives

Create Monthly Objectives for the next 6 months. These will be smaller and more focused than the quarterly goals and milestones. They are like the white (or yellow) lines in the road. They ensure you are aligned correctly and stay in your lane. Lines help to ensure you are headed in the right direction.

I reset my home goal to the end of 2020.  And so, I set a marker for where I need to be by September 30^th. And each month leading up to the December 31^st, there are specific objectives to be achieved. I have a House Buying Checklist, a Financial Goal, Realtor To Hire and Properties to View within this 6 month period.  Create a set of simple goals for the areas you need to address in 2020.

5. Weekly Tasks

Weekly tasks are like the pedal to the floor. This is how the car is meant to work to move forward. If you are not putting the pedal to the floor, you will find yourself in the same spot by December 31^st and then you may blame Covid19.

List the weekly tasks to accomplish your Dec31st Goal, Your Sept 30^th Milestone and your Monthly Objectives.

6. Daily Tactics.

This is the actual driving that moves you forward: You must have your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.

What are some of the daily tasks to be done to reach Dec 31^st to have a celebration!

Do you need to build your marketing team and email them daily?

Make Social Media Posts daily?

Walk or Exercise for 45 minutes each Day?

Perhaps your daily task is to write your goal every morning and prayer about it. Or, maybe your daily task is to visualize yourself in your new home on Dec 31^st.

Whatever you need to do, write it in the journal and each day check it off your list.

It is the regular, daily, step by step progress that move you toward your goals.

My intention here is to keep you moving forward, regardless of what obstacles or hindrances appear.

Write one of your Dec 31  goals in the comments below.

If you are stuck and need help in getting started…Write HELP and I will respond.  We have a Mastermind Group for those who need more direct help.

With God guiding us, 2020 will unfold to be an Amazing Year.

Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Christ. It is a time of redemption, rebirth and renewal. It is a time for a new start  when we can bring something back from the dead, even better than it was before.

He died so we can be reconciled with God; for us to get back to where we were in the Garden of Eden.  Just as Adam was evicted from the Garden and from God’s presence, Christ came as a new door and entrance back in to that relationship.

Easter then is a time to refocus and align ourselves to who God created us to be and the nature of the relationship we were made to have with him. This relationship is to be one where:

1. We understand our position, and our role in this earth
2. We receive our commissioning and our identity from the Creator
3. We interact with him on a daily, continuous basis. Why? So we can maneuver life according to what he values. Christ said he only did what he saw his Father doing. We, in this time of Easter and rebirth should pattern Christ’s focus, his obedience and his life.

Returning to the GOE state is always our best option. Regardless of if we slip, miss the mark, get derailed, go far off in the wrong direction for our life, or simply anchor at the wrong place –  we can embrace the resurrection of Christ and return to the preferred place in the Creator’s perfect will.

Resurrection came after a deep, dark time in the life of Christ and of his followers. His death by public hanging on a cross  must have been disastrous for them. Yes, we read the gospels but can you imagine living through that time. They all ran and hid because they felt alone, abandoned, crushed. They must have felt like the three years spent with him were all in vain. The days  leading up to Good Friday  must have been a very dark place. Even though he promised them  he would return in 3 days, it seems they all forgot about that as Good Friday approached.

Yes, every dark situation does not have to remain dark. Your darkest  day can end with a resurrection. 

And how does this resurrection start?

The Garden of Eden writing and system is meant to help you return to the place of your creation by God. It is there you will find your identity in God, become clear and focused on the purpose for your life and create a plan to live out that purpose.

Let us rehearse the steps again, which are laid out in the book, the workbook and worksheets.

1. Assess your current situation.                 What is not right with your life? Given the overwhelming darkness of this pandemic in the earth, there may be many things you will want to eliminate from your life. Identify and list those. Write them down on paper. State clearly what you will eliminate (this represents darkness) and what you need to bring into your life (this is the light).
2. Identify Available Resources.                  What do you have right now that you can utilize to get you through this season and to implement your action plan. Do you have close friends, parents, an employer, a pastor or advisor? What are your internal assets, such as your personal traits? Are you a creative, a writer or a teacher? Do you reach out and connect with others easily? Are you organized and logical? Where are your connections or power base? Take an inventory of your external and internal resources.

• Set Your Goal.                What is your single most important goal right now: The  most important thing to focus on? This could be a continuation of what you were working on before the pandemic, or it could be a new variant, an adjustment or modification. Or, this situation may have brought you clarity about what is truly important in your life; perhaps family, friends, community, God, control, safety, etc.. and you are making a 180 degree turn in life.

• Begin With the End in Mind.      With this goal or goals,  set some hard and ambitious timelines to get things done by working backwards from the completion and attainment of the goal. Establish the things necessary to realize your goal and then make your move.  

The complete Garden of Eden process takes you through a very straightforward six step creation process  to come to your completed Garden of Eden.  Some of the additional steps are: Be clear on your values, create short, medium and long term plans, and understand the seasons of your life/industry.

After going through these steps and creating what you believe is your Garden of Eden in one area, you can apply the process to other areas of life. And then move on to maintaining your focus and remaining in your position of authority and control over your life.

Almost everyone on the planet is in some form of quarantine, isolation or looking on, in amazement, at those who are. The Corona Virus is an enemy you do not see or hear until it is already upon you and you then have to overcome it as it enters your body.

When the external world is unraveling and forcing changes in our ordinary schemes of life, such as, how we live, eat, work and socialize, we all have to face a different reality. In this time, we can look at the Garden of Eden process to help us maneuver our way through this Season.

And it is a Season. It is not a permanent change. In Day Four, God created the heavenly lights of the Sun, Moon and the stars. Their purpose is to help us track the movement of time; days, years, seasons and eras. So we know that there are seasons in life. Yes, this is a flu and pandemic. But we know it will not last forever. Viruses have a certain lifespan- until a vaccine is identified or until we develop immunity to its effects or the environment causes it to die.

And what should we do during seasons of life? We are to learn lessons from the current season and prepare and plan for future seasons. Today then, is a good time to determine the valuable lessons or takeaways from this pandemic. season I am certain many are reflecting on the difficulty of getting food, the inability to work and the required social distancing. Others are grappling with the health care overload, inadequate materials and unequal access. There are lessons to be learned in all these elements. Do not fail to take note of what you learn about yourself and your life during this season.

And as we Create Our Garden of Eden, we can also take this time to reflect on how closely we are aligned with our core purpose and following our calling. When you realize how quickly a situation outside of your control can derail your life, it makes sense to be clear on the Big Picture – what you are seeking to do with your life. As the immediate future becomes gray, the clarity of your Big Picture will allow you to remain focused and moving forward. Your day to day may change – and, yes that change may be dramatic and distressing. But your long term direction needs to remain the same.

Once you are clear (again) on the Big Picture, then determine how the next season will impact what you need to do. Will your life change after this corona virus? Have you decided to be closer to family, to really get back to your dream career or to focus on online work? Then clearly think through what you want to accomplish in the next season to move you toward your purpose. And begin now to plan for that next season. Because just as the sun will rise tomorrow morning, we know that this season of the pandemic will end. While you practice the advised protocols and remain centered, begin to think of life beyond the pandemic and do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the present as though it is the end of everything.

My book was dedicated to one of my mentors, Cutty Joseph.

Cutty died several years ago when he was 84. I always think of him and his words of advice to me throughout the years. He was always saying I should do what I felt God had sent me to the earth to do. And this is why I dedicated the book to him. It was the outcome of his pointed advice.

Cutty had read the first draft and gave me very useful feedback. He was the one who cautioned me that there should be some reference to godly values. Readers should not just go out and create whatever they fancied; they had to be guided by what God would assess as “good” and “very good.” He was right and I modified the manuscript after his comments.

I did not disclose I was dedicating the book to him and so, when it was printed, I presented him with a copy.

He was in his late 70s at that point, and he chuckled and smiled in surprise when he saw his name on the dedication page. He could not believe I had dedicated it to him and he also could not recall that particular piece of advice.
“Did I really say this?” he asked?
“Yes, you did.” I responded. “And you also said ‘stop playing the ass’ but I did not think that was appropriate to include in a Christian book.”

We both had a good laugh that day for that was exactly how he spoke to me.

Cutty was a former politician, Minister of Government, international relations scholar, educator and ambassador. We met as we worked together on a revised vision document for the political party we both supported. He said I was too aggressive in my deadline of the document. He was prepared to take his time. I wanted it all completed in the shortest possible time. This was likely due to our 40-year age difference. His seniority and experience had caused him to be a bit cynical about the purpose and usefulness of the document. I was determined we could make a difference and we had to get cracking now. He was eventually right; and did not hesitate to remind of this when we saw the final destination of the document.

But Cutty pushed me to move forward; up and out of the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago where I was at the time. He reminded me that I was a Harvard law graduate and I could do anything. He encouraged me as a woman and an entrepreneur to carve out my own pathway. He said women in power were on the rise. He told me I could go to Geneva, to Shanghai, to New York, to London. He said the world was my oyster.

I ignored him for most of our early conversations.

But then I returned to his words of advice. When I was making a proposal for a bold career move, I consulted with him. And for this he was encouraging. He gave me his vocal and written support and made a personal recommendation to the decision maker, the Prime Minister at the time.

I think of Cutty ever so often when I am hesitant to make a bold move, when I begin to doubt and question my decisions or when I wonder what could have been.

However, his words are still true. While I can still breathe, my agenda remains the same; just do what I was sent to do. Because, although many years have passed, I still have a lot of value to add in many fields and indeed, the world is still my oyster.