Advanced Planning: Plan Today; Rest Tomorrow

Nothing is worse than the feeling produced by waiting until the last minute to complete a project or even worse, missing a deadline.  We all have had experiences when we needed to complete a school assignment or a project deadline.  Heaven forbid, but were you late for your own wedding?  We constantly cause personal stress and even chaos by our own procrastination.  Why do we do this to ourselves?  You are in control of your own situation and schedule.  As Ralph Waldo Emerson states,

“Nothing can bring you peace of mind but yourself.”

When thinking about my weekly schedule, I can adequately plan to pick up the groceries, make the necessary doctors’ appointments, and enjoy my foursome of bridge.  But how can I plan for what I don’t know?  How can I prepare for something over which I have no control?  One such event is death.  I have no idea when God will call me home, but right now I can organize my affairs so that soul will be ready, and my loved ones will not be left in grief and chaos. 

One secure method of advanced planning is the new encrypted app that we recently released, Before I Croak (BIC).  Granted, the title of our project may seem a bit lighthearted for such a serious subject, but we chose to recognize the inevitability of death and the need for proper estate planning now and smile along the way.  American author Alan Lakein put it this way,

“Planning is bringing the future into the present so you can do something about it now!”

Do you need help with organizing your important documents?  Would you like to leave special photos, videos, or even messages for your loved ones?  BIC is a secure, encrypted, digital lockbox where your important documents and final wishes can be stored.  With the help of creative minds and technical gurus with endless energy, BIC Version 1.0 was released on November 5, 2023.  This app is a newly minted labor of love. It is our effort to remind you that what you can do today will bring such valuable peace of mind to your loved ones after you are gone.  Let their memories of you bring peace and joy.

So, are you ready to begin?   For further information, please visit our website at www.beforeicroak.io and watch the tutorial videos for a quick peek of the app features.  Also, be prepared to meet our mascot Finnegan.  Yes, he is a frog who will guide you through the various areas of the app.  Enjoy your search for your will or your lock box key!  Remember to describe, identify, and explain.  Laugh and relish your memories along the way.  Your family will appreciate the advanced planning that you do today.

“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.”

---Pablo Picasso

Diane Stedje Battles is a retired high school Spanish teacher and the author/creator of Before I Croak.  Her greatest blessings in life include her husband, her two children, and her five grandchildren.  Diane loves to travel, garden, and decorate.  Her numerous cruises and trips are recorded in their respective scrapbooks, and she has recently created a two-volume scrapbook of her thirty-four years of teaching.  She also makes a mean batch of chocolate chip cookies!