David Kessler on Finding Meaning in Grief and Practicing the Art of Memento Mori
The Daily Stoic5 Okt 2024

David Kessler on Finding Meaning in Grief and Practicing the Art of Memento Mori

In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius wrote “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.” Death is inevitable for all of us and practicing the art of Memento Mori reminds us to live each day to the fullest and with virtue.


David Kessler, a grief and loss expert, joins Ryan today to talk about why a meaningful life comes from embracing rather than fearing death, how grief can shape our understanding and appreciation of life, the balance between grief and joy, and how losing his son changed everything he thought he knew about grief.


David’s personal experience with grief started very young, as a child witnessing a mass shooting while his mother was dying in a hospital. For most of his life, David has taught physicians, nurses, counselors, police, and first responders about the end of life, trauma, and grief. Even after years of studying grief and counseling those experiencing it, his life was turned upside down by the sudden death of his twenty-one-year-old son.


David co-authored two books with Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, including On Grief and Grieving, and after experiencing the death of his son, he updated her 5 stages of grief with a 6th stage: meaning.


📚 Grab signed copies of Finding Meaning and the Finding Meaning Workbook by David Kessler at The Painted Porch https://www.thepaintedporch.com/

Go to griefbook.com and follow David Kessler on Instagram and X | @IAmDavidKessler


📕 Our favorite translation of Seneca’s essays on grief and loss, Hardship and Happiness (The Complete Works of Lucius Annaeus Seneca) is available at The Painted Porch | https://www.thepaintedporch.com/


🪙 Designed with the intention of carrying them in your pocket, our Memento Mori Medallion is a literal and inescapable reminder that “you could leave life right now.”

Check it out at https://store.dailystoic.com/


See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episoder(2954)

Why You Can’t Focus (And How to Fix It in 25 Minutes)

Why You Can’t Focus (And How to Fix It in 25 Minutes)

You’re tired. You’re frustrated. You can’t focus. You’re busy all the time, but somehow it feels like nothing’s actually getting done. And that only makes it worse. More anxious. More scattered. More ...

18 Mar 25min

Stoop and Build ’Em Up | Stronger Stoics Together

Stoop and Build ’Em Up | Stronger Stoics Together

Failure. That's life. Then what?👉 EXCLUSIVE DEAL FOR PODCAST LISTENERS | Go to dailystoic.com/spring and enter code DSPOD20 at checkout to get 20% off the Spring Forward Challenge! Challenge yourself...

17 Mar 22min

You Can Get Rid of It | The Present Is All We Possess

You Can Get Rid of It | The Present Is All We Possess

Let go of beliefs…let go of worries. Shed what’s unnecessary. Clear away what’s holding us down.👉 SPECIAL OFFER | Go to dailystoic.com/spring and enter code DSPOD20 at checkout to get 20% off the Spr...

16 Mar 8min

Stoic Advice for the Problems We All Face

Stoic Advice for the Problems We All Face

How should a Stoic deal with bullies? What do you do when someone you love drives you crazy? And how do you stick to your principles when it costs you money? Ryan answers some big questions in this ep...

15 Mar 19min

BONUS | How to Reset Your Life (According to the Stoics)

BONUS | How to Reset Your Life (According to the Stoics)

Ready to write off 2026 already because it didn’t start perfectly? In this episode, Ryan talks about why the Stoics would say that impulse is not just unhelpful, it’s arrogant. Writing off today, this...

15 Mar 14min

A Stoic Test I Didn’t Expect

A Stoic Test I Didn’t Expect

In the span of three days, Ryan found himself in a series of situations that were exciting, surreal, and a little terrifying. The kind of moments where the Stoic ideas suddenly get put to the test.SPE...

14 Mar 35min

Here’s How You Take Back Your Time | Become Dangerously Persuasive With These Books

Here’s How You Take Back Your Time | Become Dangerously Persuasive With These Books

Think of how you spent the last week. Were those seven days as efficient or productive as they could be? 🎥 VIDEO EPISODE | Watch this episode on Ryan Holiday's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.co...

13 Mar 13min

It’s Scary…But In A Good Way

It’s Scary…But In A Good Way

Without change, we stagnate. Our minds grow complacent, ignorant to new ideas. Our bodies grow weak from disuse. We remain stuck.👉 SPECIAL OFFER FOR PODCAST LISTENERS ONLY | Go to dailystoic.com/spri...

12 Mar 9min

Populært innen Business og økonomi

stopp-verden
dine-penger-pengeradet
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
e24-podden
rss-borsmorgen-okonominyhetene
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
pengepodden-2
finansredaksjonen
utbytte
rss-politisk-preik
livet-pa-veien-med-jan-erik-larssen
morgenkaffen-med-finansavisen
pengesnakk
tid-er-penger-en-podcast-med-peter-warren
stormkast-med-valebrokk-stordalen
lederpodden
rss-sunn-okonomi
okonomiamatorene
rss-markedspuls-2
lederskap-nhhs-podkast-om-ledelse