How Can Memorial Planning Be Inspiring & Beautiful?

Pastel Sunset, Lexington, KY. Photo by Jenny Leigh Hodgins

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by Jenny Leigh Hodgins

How can the dark, depressing topic of memorial planning fit in with YourCreativeChord's purpose of nurturing creativity and inspiration, you ask?

How can planning a memorial possibly be inspiring and beautiful?

Fostering the energy for creative inspiration relies on the balance between practicing self-care and care for others. Nurturing inspiration is rooted in compassion for both self and others.

When you muster your bravery to even think about the difficult topics of loss, death and grief, much less take the caring stance to make a clear plan for it, you ultimately make things easier for you and your loved ones. What could be more caring? What could be a more ​inspiring legacy to leave behind?


Embrace The Opportunity
To Celebrate & Joyfully Inspire Others 
When we think of things that inspire, we often use words like calm, peace of mind, zest for life, beautiful, passion, and comfort. Just as planning ahead for anything brings peace of mind, having your ducks in a row about end-of-life issues is a way to bring comfort, peace and calm to yourself and others. Preparing in advance can also lead to an incredibly beautiful celebration of life and an event that honors your memory. How inspirational! 

The alternative is not thinking about it.

When we deny things or hide from reality, we end up suffering far worse.

You and I will experience the inevitable end that happens to everyone at some point. When you make the effort to plan, out of your love for others, you bring beauty and celebration to your life’s ending. For both yourself and surviving loved ones.

Clearly, death is a difficult subject. In our culture, the topic is mostly avoided, denied, or considered far removed from positive things like creativity and inspiration.

Loss and grief are the most intense kind of suffering. But we all must face these. How do we nurture ourselves through difficult moments if we avoid dealing with them?

Wouldn't it be more valuable to embrace our unavoidable, end-of-life issues as an opportunity to celebrate, honor, and joyfully inspire others to live even more fully?

The reason I'm creating more content offering alternatives to traditional memorials and tips for preparing memorial agendas, obituaries, and programs is because I know what it’s like without the planning there in advance. People are enormously consoled when you have something planned ahead of time and when they can follow a structure based on your wishes.

A thoughtful memorial plan and structure brings serenity, comfort, a sense of closure, and even healing to those dealing with loss.


Meaningful Creativity Can Be Born
From Both Suffering And Joy
Many people think of strategies for inspiration as always being something positive. But from my personal experience, creativity can be born from both deep suffering and great joy.

Many of my most valuable and meaningful creative expressions have come from dealing head-on with loss or through my experience of grieving a loved one. This is something that anyone can do. Addressing human pain is in sync with the heartening theme for nurturing your inspiration because we all experience it and we have the potential to create value from our suffering.

Dealing directly with death, whether our own or others, can be the catalyst for tremendous inspiration. It can also lead to reviving a greater spirit for living in the present moment. Facing loss can fuel our efforts to cook, volunteer, garden, work with animals, dance, write poetry or stories, journal, compose music, paint or draw. 

Planning ahead for your memorial offers potential for the transformation of an intensely difficult experience into one of tremendously positive value, especially if you base your plans on your compassion for those who will be left behind.

The peace of mind you gain from having a plan in place to deal with memorial issues is an inspiration to those around you. In this way, you demonstrate unequivocal care for yourself and  others by making things easier for everyone through your sincere effort to plan ahead.

That kind of sincere effort for others is a huge spark for inspired living. 

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I’d love to hear from you. It means a lot to me that my content is helpful and empowers you. Please take a moment to join the conversation below to let me know if this blog is helpful or if you have questions or suggestions! 



Recommended Reading:

5 Ways to Master Caregiver Learning Curve

How To Use Self-Care To Feel Happy 
​
Your Troubles Are Your Progress Barometer & Catalyst For Your Full Potential

5 Ways To Use Music & Nature For Self-Care

Defeat Fear & Doubt with Your Courage & Capability

How To Use Nature To Reinvigorate Your Spirit

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