The Death Bed Method

As I've become older, wiser, more confident and less self-conscious, my views and opinions of myself have gradually changed.  We all have things we like and dislike about ourselves (both internally and externally).  If we have the right attitude some of the things we didn't like about ourselves at one time are things we learn to love, or at least accept.  I had a major mental switch before I started high school.  I attribute this to a list I made at the beginning of summer after I graduated middle school.  Up through 8th grade I was always very shy and self-conscious, always worried about everything.  And when anything happened it felt ten times worse because I had already been worrying.  It was a no fun way to live and I didn't want to start high school the same way, so I made a list with things such as:
1. Smile a lot
2. Wear what I want
3. Get involved
4. Compliment people more
5. Stop worrying about what might happen

I wish I still had this list.  I think it had around 20 items.  Once this list was made I made sure to read it every day that summer.  The more I read it the more I believed it and the more I actually did the things on that list.  To this day I believe doing this self-made assignment is the reason my high school days and college days were so fun and memorable.  I would totally relive those 8 1/2 years of my life if I could.  I also feel it carried through into my adult life.  Although becoming an adult via real jobs, layoffs, marriage woes, toddler tantrums, increasing a few pant sizes & paying bills has maybe tainted a level of that positive attitude, I still feel that list was a positive reinforcement that changed the course of my life.  I no longer have that original list, however I still use a similar strategy; it just no longer involves pulling out a sheet of paper every day to read.  My adult version of that list is now what I call the Death Bed Method.  It goes something like this in my head:

Trying on bikinis for an upcoming vacation sans child: "This accents my muffin top.  I don't know if I should be wearing this anymore.  My boobs look good in it but my stomach doesn't.  Will my hips ever go back to their pre-birth size?  Probably not.  Will this matter on my death bed?  No.  Buy it."

Or this:
"Ever since I became a stay-at-home-mom I rarely look presentable.  I wear workout clothes all day (even though I haven't worked out), have my hair in a ponytail and neglect putting on make-up.  And I actually leave the house most days looking like this.  Do other people I pass in the stores who I'll never see again really care?  Maybe.  Will it matter on my death bed?  No.  Keep doing it cause it saves time."

When I'm on my death bed surely no one will be saying "If only she wore make-up more often while mothering her kids" or "Do you remember that picture she posted 51 years ago on Facebook in that bikini?  Yikes!"

So the next time you're questioning yourself just ask "will this matter on my death bed?"  If the answer is no then the answer to your issue isn't that big of a deal and shouldn't take that long to make.  Instead, spend your time on the issues that answer the question with a yes.