Do you feel like giving up? Has life felt too overwhelming? Do you imagine things won’t get better?

You may have lots of reasons for wanting to die. Your suffering may be intense. It may not make sense.

In dialectical behavior therapy (or DBT), we often talk about having Life Worth Living goals. This idea comes from Marsha Linehan (the creator of DBT) herself. She even developed a Reasons for Living Inventory (pdf) that is a really smart tool we can use.

When I’m working with clients, I want for them to have many reasons for staying alive. I encourage you to create your own list of reasons that are important to you. They can be silly, meaningful, funny, ridiculous, or very serious.

If you need ideas or reasons to stay alive, my hope is that this list is a place for you to start:

1. DBT (or any other therapy) cannot work if you aren’t alive.
2. You have never played guitar in a field of wild flowers.
3. 2024 may be very different.
4. Because maybe you are destined to start a business.
5. There is only one you in our world.
6. You can find ways to tolerate emotional pain.
7. Staying alive is opposite action for self-destruction.
8. Emotional pain sometimes ends.
9. You might choose coffee instead. (I love this article.)
10. Because you can give yourself another 24 hours.
11. Your cat needs you.
12. Your dog needs you.
13. Your hamster needs you.
14. Life can be okay sometimes.
15. You contribute to a more beautiful world.
16. You feel better when you help others.
17. Who will win the next season of The Bachelor/Bachelorette?
18. There are books you have not yet read.
19. You have not yet watched Amelie.
20. Because you have the freedom to choose life.
21. Someone may depend on you.
22. Life has a way of working out.
23. You are a good problem-solver.
24. Because you have hope in the future.
25. When you’re healthier, you attract healthier people.
26. Things may not get worse.
27. People usually want to be helpful and you can ask for help.
28. There are things you have not yet learned.
29. You are dedicated to making wise decisions.
30. You don’t really know what happens after you die.
31. Suicide is a lousy legacy to leave your family.
32. Sometimes there’s a season to sadness but it doesn’t last forever.
33. Suicide doesn’t solve problems; it creates them.
34. You haven’t created 1000 paper cranes.
35. You are a strong person.
36. You are exceptionally brave.
37. You have survived every day up to this point.
38. Sometimes we can find meaning in pain.
39. You know that urge surfing helps.
40. There’s a book (or memoir) inside of you.
41. Emotions and thoughts are always changing.
42. You haven’t tried prayer yet.
43. Suicide isn’t fair to others.
44. You can reach out to your therapist.
45. What would your cat think?
46. Disney World.
47. Love may be a day/week/month/year away.
48. You could take yourself to a bed and breakfast instead.
49. You haven’t yet read Man’s Search for Meaning.
50. Death is final.
52. You don’t need to hurry death because it will happen at some point.
53. Others may be traumatized by your suicide.
54. You haven’t worn pink shoes this week.
55. You have a Wise Mind.
56. You could wait for one more birthday.
57. Who would be friends with your best friend?
58. You have goals.
59. What if you could get a PhD or other advanced degree?
60. You make a difference by how you treat others.
61. Pain doesn’t necessarily stop when we die.
62. Because funerals can be expensive.
63. You find meaning in emotional pain and suffering.

Looking for a way out of your emotional pain? Dialectical behavior therapy may help.