It’s usually the first question people ask.
Not because they don’t have anything to say — but because they have too much, and no clear place to begin.
If you’ve never thought about recording your own eulogy before, this part can feel surprisingly difficult. You might imagine it needs to sound formal, or meaningful in a big, polished way. Something complete. Something final.
But it doesn’t need to be any of that.
What you say can be simple. In fact, it often works best that way.
A good place to start is to think about how you’d speak if you were sitting with someone you care about — not performing, not presenting, just talking.
You might begin with your story.
Not every detail, but the parts that shaped you. Where you grew up. What mattered in your family. The moments that stayed with you. The paths you chose, and maybe even the ones you didn’t.
From there, many people naturally move into the people in their lives.
You might want to speak directly to them. Say things that don’t always get said out loud. Gratitude, pride, even small memories that still make you smile. This can be one of the most meaningful parts, because it’s not filtered through anyone else — it comes directly from you.
Some people choose to share what they’ve learned along the way.
Not in a formal “life lessons” sense, but in a quiet, honest way. Things that became clearer over time. What mattered more than expected. What didn’t.
Others keep it lighter.
They include humour, personality, small stories that reflect who they are. This matters just as much. The tone doesn’t need to be serious to be meaningful.
There’s also space, if you want it, to say goodbye in your own way.
That can feel like a big moment, but it doesn’t have to be heavy. It can be as simple as acknowledging the people watching, and letting them know they’ll be okay. Many people find comfort in being able to offer that, rather than leaving it unsaid.
One thing that often helps is remembering the length.
This isn’t a long speech. It’s usually around eight minutes. That naturally keeps things focused. You don’t need to cover everything — just what feels important to you.
And if you’re unsure, that’s completely normal.
Most people don’t get it perfect on the first try. The process allows you to record again if you want to. You can adjust your words, change your tone, or simplify things once you hear it back.
Over time, it tends to become clearer.
Not because you’ve found the “right” script, but because you’ve found your way of saying it.
That’s really what this is about.
Not writing something impressive.
Just speaking, in your own voice, about the things that matter — so the people who care about you can hear it, exactly as you intended.
