So. Real talk.

After posting about updating my living will and power of attorney on an Instagram story, a bunch of people messaged me saying things like, "I really need to do that" or "it's on my to-do list this year."

Here's the thing: if you are in your 30s, 40s, 50s, own a home, have kids, or have any assets — you need to stop putting this off.

None of us are going to live forever. And realistically, when something does happen, it’s often either a sudden accident or a longer illness. In the last couple years alone, my best friend got cancer, I had a pretty serious bike crash, and one of my favorite people died unexpectedly. Let's be honest, the number of times I've been a literal foot away from serious injury or death is without count at this point.

I’ve had my legal documents — living will, power of attorney, basic will — in place since I was 25, because even back then I had to admit: I’m not going to be around forever.

Without these documents, if something happens to you, your loved ones are stuck second-guessing your wishes, tangled in court for years, or left to make heartbreaking decisions without guidance.

You can avoid all of that with a couple hours of work and some serious conversations. It doesn't have to be expensive. LegalZoom is around $100. Plenty of local lawyers can help too. The important part is getting it done.

I get it — talking about death or illness is uncomfortable. But not having a plan is so much worse.

Take care of it. Seriously. It’s one of the biggest gifts you can leave for the people you love.