Working in the deathcare industry raises a lot of eyebrows – and I get it. It’s an uncomfortable topic no one wants to talk about, or usually even think about. To many, just the thought of working in the death industry can cause the same reaction as biting into a lemon (you can picture it, can’t you?).
But you know what? Someone has to do it, and I know deep down in my heart that I belong right where I am. So how do I stay motivated to work in an industry that can seem so gloom-and-doomy and cause people to give me a forceful but polite “oh, that’s interesting” when my work comes up in conversation?
Coffee. Quite literally. I have a family of my own and I’m a business owner. With the addition of this industry being a pretty tough one to make a dent in, I need lots of energy. My go-to is an oat milk latte and it truly gives me the boost I need to sit down every day and do the work that needs to be done to reach the people who matter most: my clients.
I’ve been there before. I’ve been on the other side of loss feeling helpless and lost. I lost both of my parents too soon, as well as other family members who did not have anything organized before they passed. Being the most organized and knowledgable one in the family, I was left to do the heavy lifting, the sifting through the personal property, documents, accounts, etc. It sucked because all I wanted to do was grieve and it felt like I couldn’t until my to-do list was complete. I stay motivated to help my clients by remembering that I’ve been there. No one should have to go through a loss in this way. Everyone deserves the space to grieve and grieve only if that’s what they want to do.
The people I work with. From the trusted partners I work with to the clients I speak to on a daily basis, the people make all the difference in the world. When I see the relief in a client’s eyes after finishing their Legacy Planning or After Loss Consulting, it strengthens me to continue doing this difficult work for the next client. Or when a trusted partner and I join together to make a difference and an impact that benefits and normalizes our industry just a little bit more, it motivates me to keep going and strive for more change.
Yea, dealing with death is my job. It’s my source of income. But it’s also what I know I’m meant to do while I’m here on earth and helping others deal with the most uncomfortable topic in our society is what brings me fulfillment.
