BTS: OBITUARY: Sarah Katherine Winzeler

Obituary Exercise

What have been your main accomplishments in life? Once you’ve listed them, examine what connects them.

- Being a good friend to all sorts of people

- Realizing that my worth is not in my outer appearance

- Encouraging people through writing

- Maintaining old friendships over the span of my life

- Constantly discovering ways to improve me

- Personal discovery through the enneagram

- Pursuing my faith → discovering what I believe

What has been your greatest achievement of all? Why did you pick this one?

- Being a friend to people who are different from me. I think it’s important to have friends who believe and support you, but at the same time, I think it’s equally important to have friends who are different from you.

- My greatest achievement of all was going down the road of self-discovery. The first step to change is awareness and learning about myself has opened my eyes and allowed me to change areas of my life for better. I think this is my greatest achievement because none of the other achievements would have been possible without it. Discovering more about myself allows me to become a better version of myself, which in turn allows me to become a better person for those around me. It helps me be a better friend, mentor, wife, mom, daughter, sister, co-worker etc. It opened my eyes to see the beauty of those who are different from me and helped me channel my inner gifts which encouraged me to pursue my writing.

Who are you leaving behind, and who will miss you the most? What will they miss you for?

- Being a friend to people who are different from me. I think it’s important to have friends who believe and support you, but at the same time, I think it’s equally important to have friends who are different from you.

- I’m leaving behind my family, kids, husband, siblings, and friends. I think they’ll miss me f for my authenticity, vulnerability, passion/intensity, and my empathetic listening ear. I have a tendency to go real deep, real fast, which I’m learning is not a normal thing that people do. By being vulnerable and authentic, I invite others to do the same. Which is a gift really, to be raw, honest, and emotional when everyone seems like they have it together.

Why have you been attracted to your career/profession?

- I was attracted to my career/profession because there weren’t any rules. There was no playbook that I had to follow. I had the freedom and flexibility to give my mind the ability to do something it loved: create. I was attracted to this profession because I didn’t have to operate by a formula. I got to be surrounded by a bunch of really unique people who thought differently, had different perspectives, and different strengths.

List the people you’ve helped in your life. How did you help them?

- Mainly helped women. I helped them by being an empathetic listening ear. Sometimes people don’t need you do to do anything for them, but listen. So I did. I listened. I responded when I felt the need to. I physically put myself in their shoes. I laughed with them. Goodness, I cried with them. I encouraged them too.

What has been the main question that life has asked you? How did you respond?

- The main question life has asked me is “What is your purpose? Why were you created?” I responded by living every day to find out. That’s where this journey of self-discovery comes in. I became adamant to finding my God-given talents.

What should people really remember you for? What will your friends, associates, family, fellow-workers, etc. miss you for?

- My loyal friendship, my listening, my advice, my odd sense of humor, my old soul, my passion/enthusiasm for life, my encouragement, my written words

Make a list of values that emerge from this exercise. When you’re finished, check it out for authenticity. The list should not represent what you think you should say. The value needs to feel like your favorite shoes – they need to fit just perfectly. Eliminate any values that are not a good fit, although they may look wonderful on paper.

- Friendship

- Helping others

- Encouragement

- inner-beauty

- Self-realization/Authenticity

- Spirituality

- Communication

- family

- Empathy

- passion/enthusiasm

- Honesty

- Freedom

- Flexibility

- creativity

Now, take your edited list through a final reduction. Evaluate each value by asking yourself – In the one life you’ve been given on this earth, is this value important enough to be remembered for? The final list should be five core values.

- Helping others

- Self-realization/Authenticity

-Spirituality

- family

- Communication

Once you have your edited list, write your obituary. Consider your death date 60-80 years in the future and imagine having lived your values.

Sarah Katherine Winzeler passed away peacefully on December 31, 2091. She was a loving wife, mother, and friend to many. Kate was born in Toledo, Ohio on November 27, 1998 to Kip and Lisa Winzeler. In 2021, she received her Interactive Media Studies and Entrepreneurship degree from Miami University. In college, Kate decided to start a personal blog and even a book that went on to encourage women for many years. In addition to writing, she had a certain unmatched zest for life, lighting a spark in those around her. Her ability to dive deep into conversation, made those around her feel comfortable in her presence. If there was anyone who lived by the quote, “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” it was Kate. She had the ability to make whomever she was talking to feel like they were the only person in the room, that they mattered and were important. She inspired those who had the pleasure of meeting her to become the best version of themselves. Kate’s family held her highest priority in life. She loved nothing more than raising 4 incredibly kind and strong children with her husband. Even after they had grown, Kate was determined to make sure they were all together often. She leaves behind her children and grandchildren who will proudly carry on her legacy.

Now, take the true core values of your life and define what each one means for you – not your friends, parents, etc. What do they mean for you?

- Helping others → putting others above myself, finding ways to serve people

- Self-realization → seeking ways to grow and become a better version of myself

- Spirituality → making faith the foundation and priority of my life

- Authenticity → being true to who I am no matter who I’m around

- Communication → explaining how I feel and what I expect, inviting others to do the same

After defining your core values, reflect on how the values define your “voice.” In one/two

paragraphs, describe your “voice.”

My personal brand voice is all centered around one word: intentionality. Each of my values stem from this idea of being intentional. I make a habit out of self-actualization, serving others, growing my faith, being authentic, and communicating effectively because they are the ways that will help me live more intentionally. I value self-realization because it helps me understand who I am, how I operate, and what areas I need to work on to become a better version of myself. By becoming a better version of myself, out flows my next value: authenticity. When I’m authentically being myself, I am better able to communicate because I’m in tune with who I truly am, instead of faking a version of myself. Next, I focus on my spirituality because it centers me and allows me to take the focus off of myself. I prioritize resting and “me” time in order to recharge so I can shift my attention to serving and loving those around me. Each of my values is like a puzzle piece that when put together exemplifies what I life lived intentionally looks like to me.

Finally, what value must you focus on to live professional/personal life with extraordinary purpose? Why?

I think the most important value for me to focus on to live a life of extraordinary purpose is my spirituality. I acknowledge that apart from God, my purpose is insignificant. His plans for me are more than I could ask or imagine, so much so that I am unable to comprehend the complexity of them. I have an extraordinary purpose because I am a child of God, must I never forget that. Self-reliance is one of my greatest enemies to pursuing my purpose. When I think I know better than God is when I run into trouble. However, when I remain steadfast in my faith and keep my faith at the center of my life, I will follow God in obedience, allowing Him to fulfill His extraordinary purpose through me.