Peaceful Exit: A Guide to Reimagining Your Final Chapter

Death is inevitable. What will your final days look like?

For some of us, death will be quick and unexpected. But most of us will have time to think about and plan a peaceful goodbye—if we choose to. Taking the opportunity to prepare for your own death well in advance is an act of service to those you love, as well as to yourself. This book shows you how to do just that.

In Peaceful Exit, podcast host, instructor, and author Sarah Cavanaugh draws from years of research on death and dying to help you reimagine and plan for your own death. Along with her expertise, she shares stories and advice from dozens of experts, colleagues, and friends to help you envision your ideal choices. This guide teaches you:

• How to make peace with your relationships, your possessions, and your body while you’re living—instead of scrambling for resolution in your final hours
• How to start considering what you want your final days to look like and how you would like your body to be treated after you die
• How to communicate your plans and wishes to your loved ones to make sure they are carried out
  

Many people avoid thinking about death, but eventually, we’ll all have to. This book invites you to open yourself up to all the possible ways you can transition, celebrate your life, and choose what happens to you. Dying well is an art form. Peaceful Exit gives you the tools to learn that art and create a masterpiece for your final days.

Sarah Cavanaugh is a writer, an award-winning film producer, a philanthropist, and the founder of Peaceful Exit, a movement committed to nurturing honest dialogue about end-of-life choices. As host of the Peaceful Exit podcast, she has interviewed experts and creatives on the topic of death and dying, including Alua Arthur, Anne Lamott, and Patti Davis. Through the podcast, she shines a light on the scientific research, writing, and artwork of those able to translate pain and grief into words and art so that we might reduce fear, engender peace, and live life full out. As the cocreator of the Peaceful Exit online course, she works in intimate groups to help participants plan a more perfect ending.

Sarah has led startups for over thirty years, working in support of art, environmental justice, leadership development, and world peace. She has also served on many boards and is currently the chair of the Russell Family Foundation, whose vision is a thriving, equitable, and sustainable Earth. When she's not championing her deep commitment to social change and activism, you can find her tapping into her adventurer spirit across the globe, from exploring the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard to swimming with whales in Oceania. A mom of three adult children, she lives in the Pacific Northwest with her partner of more than three decades.

Lynya Floyd is a best-selling ghostwriter and an award-winning journalist with expertise in health and wellness content. She has two decades of experience working on staff and as a freelancer for various titles, including Women's Health, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, Essence, and Prevention. As a health expert who is also a nationally certified health and wellness coach, she has appeared on The Today Show, Fox, NPR, and more.