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Living While Dying

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Living While Dying

Thom's mission is to inspire others to embrace life fully despite the challenges of illness.

Through honest exploration and positivity, Thom seeks to offer support and motivation, celebrating courage and zest in navigating life's toughest challenges. Living Life Press is a publishing and media entity dedicated to raising awareness about prostate cancer through storytelling, speaking engagements, and multimedia. Founded by Thom Barrett, a best-selling author and stage IV prostate cancer th

river, Living Life Press focuses on sharing personal experiences, providing education, and inspiring hope for those affected by prostate cancer. Through books, podcasts, and public speaking, Living Life Press seeks to foster open conversations about men's health, highlight the importance of early detection and research, and encourage individuals to live life fully, even in the face of illness. All proceeds from the business’s endeavors go directly to support cancer research and awareness campaigns.

08/21/2025

One evening, sitting on the back porch and watching the sun sink behind the trees, I was struck by the beauty of the moment. The sky was a wash of colors—deep oranges and pinks fading into the indigo of dusk. I realized then how much of my life I had taken for granted. My life had always been about the next thing— planning for tomorrow and preparing for the future. But the future is no longer guaranteed. All I have is the present, and in that quiet moment, I saw how much beauty there is in simply being. The wind rustling through the trees, the soft chirp of crickets waking up for the night—it wasn’t a grand epiphany, more like a gentle unfolding. The world hadn’t changed, but my way of seeing it had. This realization was more than acceptance; it was the beginning of transformation. Acceptance helped me let go of the need to control the future, but transformation has taught me to actively embrace the present. It’s not just about seeing the beauty in life—it’s about living it more intentionally. Each day, I remind myself that life isn’t about avoiding death—it’s about living fully while I have the chance. And paradoxically, it’s only in accepting my mortality that I’ve been able to truly appreciate the days I have left.

What unplanned moment recently taught you something beautiful?

08/19/2025

At Big Eddy's over wings and beer, I chatted with a young man who'd been living off-grid for years. Our conversation turned emotional when he mentioned his father going through tough times. We discussed the challenges of helping someone who isn't ready to accept it.

When he left, he gave me a kiss on the top of my head, perhaps seeing a reflection of his father in me. These interactions have been profoundly touching, adding rich layers to my experience.

The beauty of slow travel isn't in how much you see, but in how deeply you see it. It's not about the miles covered or destinations checked off—it's about the connections made, the stories shared, the way unexpected encounters leave us changed.

Travel isn't just about movement—it's about meaning. It's about how we choose to experience the world and how we allow those experiences to shape us.

08/14/2025

Still, there are nights when that fear creeps back in. I never thought I’d be afraid to close my eyes and drift off to sleep, but living with a terminal illness has changed everything. What once was routine, falling into bed after a long day, letting my body rest, has become a nightly battle with my mind. It’s not just the fear of dying, it’s the deeper, nagging questions that keep me awake: What if I don’t wake up? What if this is the last time I see my best friend, the last kiss goodnight, the last time I feel the warmth of my dog at my feet?

And it’s not unfinished business or unachieved goals that haunt me; those feel distant now. Instead, I lie awake wondering if I’ve done enough for the people I love. Have I truly prepared my daughters for a life without me? Will the love I’ve given them carry them through their own difficult days? The fear isn’t in the act of dying itself; it’s in the uncertainty of the legacy I’ll leave behind. Have I left them with enough strength, enough wisdom, enough of me?

08/08/2025

Exciting news! The Edge of Now has been honored with the Literary Titan Book Award: Nonfiction.

This award recognizes nonfiction books that stand out for exceptional writing, depth of research, and meaningful presentation. It’s given to authors who can take complex ideas and shape them into stories that are both engaging and accessible—works that enlighten, inspire, and offer lasting insight.

The Edge of Now is my most personal book yet, weaving together stories of adventure, mindfulness, and acceptance in the face of life’s uncertainties. To have it recognized in this way is deeply meaningful, and I’m grateful to everyone who has read, shared, and connected with its message.

📚 If you haven’t yet explored The Edge of Now, you can find it on Amazon (link in bio) or reach out to me directly for a signed copy.

Here’s to living fully in the moments we’re given.

08/07/2025

Standing in Antarctica's vast wilderness, I watched icebergs drift effortlessly with the currents. They didn't fight the sea's shifting forces, they moved with them, reshaped by the water but no less magnificent.

I used to think strength meant resistance, holding firm against life's challenges. But illness taught me something different. Real strength isn't in the fight—it's in the grace to move with life's currents, even when you can't see where they lead.

The seals and penguins I observed didn't battle their harsh environment—they thrived by adapting, existing fully in conditions that would break most of us. They showed me that acceptance isn't passive surrender; it's an active embrace of what is.

What currents are you fighting today that might actually be trying to carry you somewhere beautiful?

08/05/2025

Each day brings new challenges and wonders but also moments of profound connection with the world around me, its people, and within myself. In these quiet moments, as I gazed out at the vast, untamed seas, my thoughts drifted to the early explorers who braved these waters with little more than courage and determination.

Our journey, cushioned by modern comforts, still carried the essence of adventure and discovery. But unlike those explorers who set out to conquer, I found myself learning to let go, to stop fighting against the tide of life, and to accept that not every challenge needed to be overcome with brute force.

The difference between conquering and connecting often lies in our intention. What are you trying to conquer today that might instead be inviting you to connect?

07/31/2025

Save this if you're evolving your definition of adventure.

07/24/2025

April 15, 2024 – It hit me out of nowhere. One minute I thought I was adjusting to the altitude, the next I found myself struggling not only to breathe, but my ability to walk was severely hampered and my brain was in a fog. When I finally checked My Apple Watch it was 79% O2 – far too low. Thank goodness for WiFi. Symptoms checked: shortness of breath, fatigue, tight chest, coughing up white froth. Diagnosis? High Altitude Pulmonary Edema.

The remedy was simple but urgent: Oxygen and a rapid descent. Negotiations with the hostel manager won me more than 5 minutes on the O2 tank, just enough to prep for the harrowing 4-hour midnight drive to Uyuni’s only open clinic.

My guide was a hero, navigating dusty roads and finding a clinic with an available X-ray tech at 3 AM to confirm fluids in my lungs. We secured a night’s stay at 12,000 feet before I could fly down to sea level at dawn.

Grateful for every breath, for my guide, and for making it out. Doing well now. Remember, always check your symptoms early and share this if you're learning that strength includes knowing when to ask for support.

07/22/2025

"We must risk delight. We must have the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless furnace of this world." —Jack Gilbert

Planning Torres del Paine wasn't a denial of my diagnosis. It was defiance against the idea that illness means living small.

But here's what I learned: the most radical act isn't denying your limitations, it's designing your life around them. Chapter 4 of "The Edge of Now" ("Planning as Surrender") details exactly how I rebuilt my approach to adventure.

Instead of fighting my body's new reality, I planned with it. Guides to handle logistics. Rest days are built into every itinerary. Annika is my partner, not because I couldn't do it alone, but because shared joy is deeper joy.

The result? Not a compromise, an evolution. Adventures that feed the soul without breaking the body. Get a copy today of The Edge of Now here >>> https://a.co/d/2U07MT2

07/15/2025

90 days with NOLS. Soaked clothes. Aching limbs. Rain that never seemed to end. Our instructors drilled into us: "If you can learn to live where things are hard, and you don't have all the information, and don't know when it's going to get better, you can do anything."

I thought that was just wilderness training. It turns out that it was cancer training. Divorce training. Aging training. Life training.

In "The Geography of Limits", a chapter from my latest book, "The Edge of Now", I dive deep into how that 90-day experience became my blueprint for navigating uncertainty. Not just surviving it, but finding strength in the not-knowing.

The chapter includes my "Tolerance for Adversity" framework—3 practical tools for staying grounded when life feels uncontrollable. One technique alone (the "Next Right Step" method) has carried me through my darkest moments.

If you're in a season of uncertainty right now, this framework can help. Get a copy today of The Edge of Now here >>> https://a.co/d/2U07MT2

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Services Available In:
Marstons Mills, MA
02648

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

https://www.livinglifewhiledying.com/

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