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Why Thinking About Death Helps You Live a Better Life | Alua Arthur | TED

As a death doula, or someone who supports dying people and their loved ones, Alua Arthur spends a lot of time thinking about the end of life. In a profound talk that examines our brief, perfectly human time on this planet, she asks us to look at our lives through the lens of our deaths…

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As a death doula, or someone who supports dying people and their loved ones, Alua Arthur spends a lot of time thinking about the end of life. In a profound talk that examines our brief, perfectly human time on this planet, she asks us to look at our lives through the lens of our deaths in seeking to answer the question: “What must I do to be at peace with myself so that I may live presently and die gracefully?”

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79 Comments

  1. Ask a Mortician

    July 6, 2023 at 2:04 pm

    Alua’s authenticity and sincerity are the real deal. She’s one of our greatest advocates and thinkers around death.

    • Emily Whittle

      July 6, 2023 at 7:09 pm

      Big fan of all your work dealing with Death Positivity and I love the videos you made with Alua she is such a bright soul

  2. ladygaga

    July 6, 2023 at 2:35 pm

    6:17, 7:28 ,8:57*,11:18 ,12:53″

  3. Spoken4Eternity

    July 6, 2023 at 2:39 pm

    Pure L🧡VE! ♥️♥️♥️

  4. Bertl Zansinger

    July 6, 2023 at 2:43 pm

    Wonderful point… Thank you for the motivation.

    Despite all that, I am very sensitive about speech impediments. If no one else mentions it, your speech impediment could easily be corrected these days…. All the best.

    • Caitlin McMurtry

      July 6, 2023 at 2:54 pm

      Her voice is part of what makes her HER! Why would you want to make her less unique? Our uniqueness is all we have and is what people will remember about us after we die ❤

  5. Ahmed Thamir

    July 6, 2023 at 3:45 pm

    amazing 😮

  6. Matrick Wurse

    July 6, 2023 at 3:48 pm

    Loved it, let ‘‘em merge, it is no big deal. Thank you

  7. 👉 BUY YOUTUBE VIEWS 👉 Link in Bio

    July 6, 2023 at 3:55 pm

    This video was so informative, thank you for sharing!

  8. José Oldenburg

    July 6, 2023 at 4:01 pm

    Stunning

  9. BASS NINJA

    July 6, 2023 at 4:09 pm

    Tell that to those who succeeded it

  10. Cooper Nickerson

    July 6, 2023 at 4:35 pm

    Dying is easy, living is hard.

    • ada cathy

      July 6, 2023 at 6:09 pm

      But dying is hard on our loved ones, as well, the living are the ones who primarily deal with death

  11. Valentin Gao

    July 6, 2023 at 6:03 pm

    Thank you Ted for making this happen, Thank you Alua for sharing such a magical perspective and lesson. I am forever changed in the perspective of how I look at death and face it. 💛

  12. wininit 2

    July 6, 2023 at 6:16 pm

    =)

  13. Amy Annette Henion

    July 6, 2023 at 6:17 pm

    Alua Arthur is my hero. What a beautiful talk. ❤

  14. ada cathy

    July 6, 2023 at 6:17 pm

    😊humans are the only animals cognizant of our mortality 😌

  15. Rick Lambert

    July 6, 2023 at 6:34 pm

    The major control tactic is the false evidence appearing real (fear), the main fear program is death, the evil vile veil is to think we live, but be live (believe) then it’s the devil to think we lived.

  16. HakuCell

    July 6, 2023 at 6:35 pm

    ok but more importantly, we need to legalize euthanasia (for people who are debt-free, legally clean, and who have already tried all the best cures that society has to offer). because otherwise, what are people who live with treatment-resistant chronic pain gonna do? they’re probably gonna not want to live anymore, but attempting to end their lives on their own is tricky, risky, scary, can be messy, and can leave them with disabilities if they survive. meanwhile, modern medicine could painlessly euthanize them.

  17. Abercrombait&switch

    July 6, 2023 at 6:37 pm

    I love her, I love her work, and let’s also talk about that ORANGE. dayum!

  18. Willful Mystic

    July 6, 2023 at 6:47 pm

    Nice earrings!

  19. Willful Mystic

    July 6, 2023 at 6:49 pm

    I wouldn’t just think about death, I’d consume myself with death and maybe even do a TED Talk about my consumption.

  20. Emily Whittle

    July 6, 2023 at 7:12 pm

    Amazing talk. Her outfit and jewelry are gorgeous but not as gorgeous as her palpable joy while speaking about living presently and for today, because there may not be a tomorrow.

  21. Helen Escobar

    July 6, 2023 at 7:56 pm

    Life is worth living and dying is absolutely a part of living.

  22. Sarah Evans

    July 6, 2023 at 8:01 pm

    Clicked to see the outfit 😨

  23. g t

    July 6, 2023 at 8:23 pm

    A timeliness existence is meangless

  24. Krystal Young

    July 6, 2023 at 8:40 pm

    Loved this. I always come back to her stuff when I’m struggling with life.

  25. ildar mingazov

    July 6, 2023 at 9:08 pm

    If you wanna die
    Die with the boots!

  26. Šime

    July 6, 2023 at 10:59 pm

    I mean, “eat whatever you want because you’re going to die anyway” is kind od dumb and bad advice.

  27. Jonathan Strand

    July 7, 2023 at 1:00 am

    Home, definitely the best, but most expensive place to draw your last breath, and what is home these days? But sound advice. We fear death, that’s counterproductive, to life, really,make it part
    of your plan.

  28. Jess53nz

    July 7, 2023 at 2:48 am

    Can I just say that the orange is stunning!!

  29. One_life

    July 7, 2023 at 3:05 am

    As an Indian, death is normal to us. We are not trying to be immortal. Intellectualising every little detail of life simply makes the present less enjoyable.

  30. R. Dinar Irawati

    July 7, 2023 at 3:08 am

    Because it will make you afraid doing something wrong or harm people. The sin you create from it make you afraid then it will make you doing good things.

  31. Roman Russian

    July 7, 2023 at 3:15 am

    America is sending uranium shells and cluster bombs to decimate Russian soldiers and Ukrainian civilians

  32. Roman Russian

    July 7, 2023 at 3:18 am

    Tell these stories to Ukrainian and Russian soldiers who are being finished while playing an american another game of “democracy and freedom”

  33. Flaere Frayse

    July 7, 2023 at 3:28 am

    This gave me goosebumps.

  34. Ithateng Mokgoro

    July 7, 2023 at 6:38 am

    Such an amazing talk this, thank you for your work, Alua.

  35. Ashequr Rahman

    July 7, 2023 at 6:59 am

    Beautiful ❤ Thank you

  36. Henrique Rodrigues

    July 7, 2023 at 7:46 am

    Simply amazing! My dream is to tell about my life there! 🙏 You’ll like it

  37. Kim & Bill Anderson

    July 7, 2023 at 10:24 am

    Stunning!!! Thank you for touching my life!!

  38. Brett Riley

    July 7, 2023 at 11:39 am

    This is so beautiful

  39. Jashanpreet kaur

    July 7, 2023 at 11:53 am

    Beautiful Ted thank you ❤

  40. Vikash Madhukar

    July 7, 2023 at 11:55 am

    This is one of the best Ted I have ever listened to. Absolutely stunning.

  41. Abena Offeh-Gyimah

    July 7, 2023 at 12:03 pm

    Listening to this felt like life intimately touching my face and reassuring me to live full ❤😊

  42. TOMOLYN

    July 7, 2023 at 12:11 pm

    “…GOD So L O V E S you…”🤍

  43. TOMOLYN

    July 7, 2023 at 12:13 pm

    “…Teach us to number our days-
    that we may gain a HEART OF W I S D O M…”🕊

  44. It's Me

    July 7, 2023 at 12:32 pm

  45. arthurslouro

    July 7, 2023 at 12:47 pm

    I’m literally in tears as I watched this TED talk. It felt as if I was listening to a poem that touched me so deeply. Thank you TED for sharing this. What an amazing speaker.

  46. itzallan

    July 7, 2023 at 2:32 pm

    An amazing and emotionally moving Ted Talk! I love the humor, which is not easy to have when talking about the subject of dying. Alua is an amazing orator!

  47. Leona Isaac

    July 7, 2023 at 3:43 pm

    One of the most profound talks I have ever heard!❤❤❤

  48. Hey Alicia K.

    July 7, 2023 at 8:03 pm

    Love this 💜

  49. Teri Scallon

    July 7, 2023 at 8:59 pm

    that was fantastic! thank you

  50. Ong Samuel

    July 7, 2023 at 11:09 pm

    Thank you for this ❤

  51. Abena Offeh-Gyimah

    July 8, 2023 at 2:28 am

    A life worth dying from ❤❤❤

  52. Zeyad Rezk

    July 8, 2023 at 2:40 am

    “We highlight what we have to do to feel worthy rather than who we get to be”

  53. Akothlilian Bake

    July 8, 2023 at 4:53 am

    I learned alot from this talk but the most that i will take from this is to “hold life lightly”,nothing lastly forever.

  54. Carin M. Bonifacino

    July 8, 2023 at 6:27 am

    Absolutely stunning talk, message, and delivery. Thank you, Alua!!

  55. The_Crusher

    July 8, 2023 at 9:18 am

    That is a fantastic earring

  56. Most Guitars Wins

    July 8, 2023 at 10:37 am

    “It is complete, and I am safe” Thank you for turning and facing the things that matter. Thank you for speaking ❤‍🔥🙏

  57. Tolou Ghanavatifar

    July 8, 2023 at 12:29 pm

    So heart touchin✨

  58. Elvy Tan

    July 8, 2023 at 2:18 pm

    Thank you, Alua & TED, for one of the best talks ever!

  59. Dionne Sims

    July 8, 2023 at 8:59 pm

    I sobbed so hard at her description of what she believes death to be. Unbelievable talk. So grateful for her wisdom.

  60. TC18 084_Khaled Al-orabi

    July 9, 2023 at 4:01 am

    The Messenger of Allah Mohammed (PBUH) said 1400 years ago, “Remember more often the destroyer of pleasures – death.” and in another hadith he said “Remember frequently death , the destroyer of pleasure. A servant will never mention it when he is in distress, except that it will be sufficient for him, and he will not mention it when he is in abundance, but it will be too narrow for him.

  61. Ken Yup

    July 9, 2023 at 5:29 am

    It’s so depressed Jesus Chris

  62. edde

    July 9, 2023 at 6:49 am

    I am in awe

    Thank you
    🙏🏾

  63. T Balogun

    July 9, 2023 at 7:09 am

    Profound!

  64. Cledy Chinca

    July 9, 2023 at 10:13 am

    🧡🧡🧡

  65. misscarpone2

    July 9, 2023 at 3:01 pm

    Wow, Mrs. A., that talked was so touching. I cuurently feel my mom may pass this year, and think about my own life and death to come… I’ve tried to live life from the perspective of death, and yet, there is so much living in the glittery instants that I haven’t plumbed yet. Thank you for your work. And btw, your beauty was a joy to behold.

  66. Dana Arthur

    July 10, 2023 at 12:28 am

    Thank you Alua. ❤

  67. Sandy B

    July 10, 2023 at 7:02 am

    This is beautiful, We should think about dying it helps shape what we do and how we relate to our society 🙏🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿

  68. Sander Wåge

    July 10, 2023 at 10:28 am

    The life is a truly incredible miracle its a truly incredible gift that we are born with we must enjoy it in the best way we can. Because we dont know how long we will live our lifes. And we must use the days in the best ways we can because the time and the days that have been will never come back to us!!! And make sure to make good choiches everyday because every choice that we make will effect us in a way good or bad!!! Happiness is not a destination its a way of life the world is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we think about what happens to us if we think happy tougths we will live a happy life!!! The planet earth itself is a truly incredible miracle because without the earth all off us humans wouldn’t be alive and life itself would not have existed!!! So us humans have this truly incredible gift to be alive on this truly amazing planet earth!!! And the planet earth is the only place wich has life in the whole universe with billions of planets stars and galaxies so us humans are truly incredible lucky to be alive in this truly incredible universe!!! Moms are a truly incredible miracle because moms keeps us humans alive on this truly amazing planet earth for generations to come!!! And the dads also off course because without the dads us humans would not have been born!!! If we love the life the life loves us back!!!❤️❤️❤️

  69. Thomas Belasco

    July 10, 2023 at 10:48 am

    How is it I just discovered Alua? This talk is poignant and powerful. I left it thinking more about living than dying. She drives home, our lives are a series of transitions preparing for the biggest transition death. She inspired me so deeply and transformationally.

  70. Uduwila Chandima

    July 10, 2023 at 12:47 pm

    Still others do not understand that we must perish in this world, those who understand this, their quarrels are allayed.(lord buddha.)

  71. S M

    July 10, 2023 at 1:12 pm

    Ted made this talk happen for me. I have had these questions for some time now. I wish I could meet someone wise like her in real life. Why is this not that popular. Death is the ultimate truth and will happen to all – why don’t we talk more about it.

  72. OBCUSTOM 'S

    July 10, 2023 at 1:56 pm

    Am in peace 😊😊😊😊 rtnw 🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤❤❤

  73. Cecilia Z

    July 10, 2023 at 2:35 pm

    Preciosa intervención. Graciasssss

  74. Will D

    July 10, 2023 at 11:19 pm

    Wow wow wow wow wow – she is incredible! What a fantastic speaker, storyteller and thinker. I feel like I just experienced something very special.

  75. Ree'

    July 11, 2023 at 1:01 pm

    I am in awe. Just wow. Alua, a gift.

  76. Ebere O.

    July 12, 2023 at 4:55 am

    I love her energy. Thank you, Alua, for serving humanity.

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