Read This Before Dying

24/07/2024

Americans are obsessed with true crime but do they find the same interest in discussing the plans for their own deaths?

Find out if there's a correlation between our collective true crime obsession and our interest or aversion to talking about our own deaths at the link in bio!
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We, as a society, are quite frankly obsessed with true crime related deaths. Every week it seems like there’s a new podcast, book, tv show, or movie coming out documenting the latest viral crime (typically of a violent nature) but we, as a society, can’t seem to show that same devotion to discus...

03/05/2024

Have you ever heard of The Birthday Effect?

It's a statistical phenomenon that supports the idea that you are MORE LIKELY to die on or around your birthday!

Shakespeare did. Oscar winner Ingrid Bergman did. Will you?

Head to the link below to learn the numbers and the reasoning behind this phenomenon and leave a comment to let me know if you buy it!

The birthday effect is, “a statistical phenomenon where an individual’s likelihood of death appears to increase on or close to their birthday.” And this isn’t just some casual trivia people throw around to sound smarter at parties, multiple countries have done studies that show's an above av...

18/04/2024

This story and that of another Dutch woman in her early 30s have recently come to my attention. Both women are physically healthy from what I read but have decided to be euthanized due to their mental illness and mental health.

While I continue to research this and encourage you to do the same, I did want to see what initial reactions are:

Should euthanasia be an option for those dealing with mental illness?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

A 28-year-old Dutch woman has decided to be euthanized next month after her psychiatrist told her that her mental health issues will never improve.

17/04/2024

Obituaries are a main source of communication about those who've died, but they can sometimes be difficult or overwhelming to write if you're not sure what to include or worry about doing your loved one justice.

So this week, I've put together a quick how to guide on writing obituaries in 4 easy steps. You can check it out at the link below!
https://readthisbeforedying.com/latest/howtowriteanobit

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Obituaries can be put together relatively easily when you know all the parts of writing one which includes The Basics, Summing the Deceased Up, Figuring Out the Structure, and Proofreading. When it comes down to it, that’s just four things. You’ve got this.

10/04/2024

Last month I got to check out my first Death Cafe hosted by and this week I'm telling you all about it!

What is a Death Cafe? And why should you attend one? Head to the link below to find out!

A Death Cafe, originally organized by Bernard Crettaz in 2004 before Jon Underwood brought the idea to London in 2011, is according to their website "a group directed discussion of death with no agenda, objective, or themes.” Basically, you get together with strangers, maybe have a little coffe

03/04/2024

When a loved one dies, they don't just leave behind heartache and grief...they also leave a lot of stuff!

Up now on the blog, find out some tips on how and when to start decluttering after a loved one dies. Check it out at the link below!

When a person dies, they leave behind more than just heartache, they leave behind stuff. Sometimes it’s just a closet or garage to go through other times the whole entire house and for those who are left behind it can be overwhelming and difficult to tackle. Is it okay to get rid of this stuff? Ho...

31/01/2024

Death symbolism surrounds us every day!

So with that in mind I'm starting a new series that gets in to the how, when, and why these symbols of death came to be.

First up: Birds! You can read about them now at the link below!

What birds come to mind when you think of death? Do they conjure chill vibes or a feeling of doom and why? Let me know in the comments!

Bird symbolism is probably the most wide reaching type of symbolism with it showing up over and over through different cultures, religions, and time periods. Birds symbolize anything from freedom, to good luck, to bad luck, and of course death. Folklore, mythology, and modern day pop culture use bir

23/01/2024

Just finished The Collected Regrets of Clover by and even though we're only 23 days into 2024 it's easily in the running for my favorite book of the year!

This is such a sweet story about grief, dealing with death, and learning to let go while still holding on to the memories and feelings that matter. I can't recommend this book enough, especially if you're dealing with grief or if talking about death aloud is still too scary.

08/01/2024

Welcome to Morbid Monday where we ask you a trivia question all about death!

This week's question is: Whose memorial stone, naked birdman, is constantly covered with red lipstick kisses?

A. Edgar Allan Poe
B. Jim Morrison
C. Oscar Wilde
D. Pablo Neruda
E. Elvis

No googling!

Answer in the comments below!

03/01/2024

The holiday season may have come and gone but there's always another right around the corner, huh?

Check out my post with suggestions on how to survive grief during the holidays.

While the holidays are often referred to as “the most wonderful time of the year” that might not always be the case for people in the throes of grief. If you’re new to grieving around the holidays or just looking for ways to make this time of year a little more manageable mentally and emotiona...

03/01/2024

If you're looking for a good nonprofit to donate to this year, check out my list of 4 death and grief related nonprofits who are doing good work in the death industry!

While there are always plenty of deserving nonprofits to donate your money or time to, nonprofits doing work in the death and grief community might not be at the front of your mind at this time of year but they’re doing important work that could use your contribution.

03/01/2024

Welcome to Read This Before Dying!

This is a place where death doesn't have to be scary because it just is what it is. We'll all do it and we'll all deal with it.

But wouldn't it be nice if some of those unknowns about death, dying, grief, and the funeral industry were talked about instead of swept under the rug until we're forced to handle it head on?

That's why I started Read This Before Dying, as a place to ask and answer those questions without feeling like you're bringing the place down cause don't worry, we're always a little morbid around here.