Join me in the Fall Lifebook Challenge: Overview and Week 1’s Launch

Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash

I previously shared that one of my goals for this year is plan for how to die a good death at the end of a very long and amazing life. I know this is a topic that some find disconcerting. That said, to paraphrase a friend who recently navigated a really stressful situation because she’d been able to plan ahead — the time to plan for bad times is in good times.

We have about 20 weeks left in 2022 and this is a perfect amount of time to slowly and steadily build out a “Lifebook”. A Lifebook, in my definition, is a place where you store your curated and organized documents that you need for reference.

Lifebook Format

Your lifebook can take whatever format is appropriate for you. I will be using a mixture of tools that include:

• A three ring binder with printed documents. I store this in my fireproof safe when I’m not using it.
• An electronic password management tool — I’ll specifically be using 1Password.
• Some spreadsheets and word documents. As we progress through the weeks, I’ll be providing some templates you can use to curate and organize information. I’ll also be emphasizing secure storage of information as much as I know how to do so.

You may want a different set of tools and that is perfectly okay. That said, I will emphasize secure storage of information.

Store Information Securely

Much of the information we will be curating and organizing as a part of this project is the information that is a identity thief’s dream. For that reason, I am going to emphasize the use of paper stored securely in a fireproof home safe and a secure password management tool. I’ll also talk throughout the series about different ways you can keep documents electronically and keep them safe.

Adapt for the Circumstances of your Life

I am single with no children so the quantity of information I have to keep is different than a family with children. That said, because I am single with no children, my family and friends would have to step into my life if I was incapacitated — and they aren’t here every day and so the level of…