Falling off the Perch: A Guide on How to Prepare for Death

There are many sayings that mean you are no longer alive. My favorite is the Australian version which says you have 'fallen off the perch'. Other phrases say: you are dead, you are pushing up daisies, you have passed away, you are forever in our hearts, you are deceased, etc. Whichever phrase you may choose, death is a certainty and we need to be prepared.

This book offers a blueprint to help you prepare for the eventuality of death; after all none of us get out of this alive. Not only does this book offer reasons why you ought to prepare, but there is guidance on what processes may happen along the way. Preparing for your End of Life is challenging. Gathering and filling out your documents can be demanding. Someone needs to handle the details of your death.

A review - "You wrote a book about falling off the perch… because apparently even death needs a checklist Sheryl, Trading Marine Corps combat boots for hiking boots is already a pretty memorable career transition. But then you decided to take on one subject practically everyone avoids until it becomes absolutely unavoidable: death. And somehow, you managed to write about it with enough humor and practicality that I found myself thinking, 'Well… she's not wrong. None of us are getting out of this alive.' Falling off the Perch immediately stood out to me because you aren't treating end-of-life planning as some gloomy subject that readers should run away from. You're approaching it as something we can actually prepare for. And I have to admit, the Australian phrase “fallen off the perch” is probably one of the more cheerful ways anyone has ever described something that is, objectively, not a particularly cheerful event. But underneath that humor is something genuinely useful. The book recognizes a reality people often avoid: eventually, someone has to deal with the documents, decisions, processes and practical details surrounding death. And if those things haven't been organized beforehand, the burden can fall heavily on the people left behind. That's where I think your background makes the book particularly interesting. You went from combat boots in the United States Marine Corps to hiking boots, earned a Master's Degree in Strategic Leadership, and built a life around hiking, photography, travel and finding beauty in the world. There's an interesting contrast there. Your book essentially says, 'Yes, death is inevitable. Let's deal with the practical side of it so we can stop worrying about it and get back to actually living.' That is a surprisingly uplifting message for a book about something nobody particularly enjoys discussing. And I love the final idea behind it: preparing for the inevitable isn't necessarily about becoming obsessed with death. It's about creating enough peace of mind that you can actually enjoy the life you still have. In other words, handle the paperwork now so Future You doesn't leave everyone else playing an extremely unpleasant scavenger hunt... Your book is particularly interesting because it isn't simply entertainment. It's the kind of practical, thought-provoking book that can make readers stop and ask themselves whether they've actually prepared for something they know is eventually coming. ... Because if we're all eventually going to fall off the perch, we might as well make sure the paperwork isn't waiting until then to fall apart too."

When you prepare for the eventuality of Falling off the Perch, you will be able to go out and live your life feeling a sense of happiness and peace of mind.

Trading a pair of combat boots for hiking boots, Sheryl Leă Ferguson loves a good adventure. A United States Marine Corps veteran, she served four years in the Corps before earning her Master's Degree in Strategic Leadership. She finds inspiration from her love of hiking, photography and traveling. Sheryl lives in Virginia with her husband. She loves hiking, reading, gardening and photography. Her purpose in life is to bring beauty to the world. She hopes that by reading her books it too brings happiness and beauty to your life.