MYTH-BUSTING DEATH POSITIVITY
Death is a taboo subject. It's an uncomfortable fact that we all have to face, but no one wants to talk about it. However, the conversation around death has changed quite a bit in recent years, with this, "Positive Death" spaces are becoming more common and the movement is growing in popularity.
What exactly does "positive death" mean?
Death can be a scary concept. It's one we don't like to think about, because it reminds us that our time on earth is limited.
But if you're thinking more and more about death, you might want to take a look at the movement that sees death as something positive. This is based on the idea that it is unnecessary to fear death or hide it somewhere in the closet — instead, it should be spoken openly and without shame.
It is a growing movement of people who are changing the way we deal with death. Through conversations about end-of-life issues and our own mortality, advocates of the movement are helping reduce societal pressure to be perfect, encouraging people to live their lives to the fullest.
Living life intensely is not necessarily something crazy, it simply means that you live as you want, on your own terms, meet your goals, laugh, be happy, that is living to the fullest, so that when you reach the last moments you have nothing to regret and see death as the next step, finding peace.
These are some of the most common misconceptions that people have about the Death Positive movement.
Encourages or wishes death.
The movement supports the idea that funerals move toward celebrating life and away from a formal ceremony. Although it is always a sad occasion when someone passes away, it is a natural part of life. The positivity of death does not advocate death, but a better death when the time comes.
Idealizing death is not a feature of the movement. Instead of glorifying death, it demystifies the confusing and emotional subject matter. Having an honest discussion about the deceased's final wishes, finances, childcare (if any), and unfinished business isn't gothic — it's practical and important.
The people of the movement are ready to die.
They are not fearless in the face of death. For many, the discomfort with death will never go away. There is nothing wrong with feeling this way, and the positivity of death does not require anyone to accept someone's loss painlessly. It seeks to reduce the damage that occurs when the subject of death is seen as taboo.
Death is a stigma — we are taught to avoid it, ignore it, and pretend it is not real or important. However, if we do not face death, we cannot live life. So let's talk about the elephant in the room and remove the taboo, so we can learn to live fully. Dying is part of life — it is nothing to fear or be ashamed of. We are born, we live, and then we die.
We all die at some point in our life. There is no way to prevent it. But we can face death as a natural part of life, as something that happens and will happen again, and if we face it with grace, we can move on to the next part of our life without feeling the weight of death. Positive death is about seeing death naturally and living our lives in the best possible way.
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