What does it take in order to really appreciate life?
For author don Miguel Ruiz, it took a near-death experience for him to fully enjoy his waking moments -- and now he's sharing his personal discovery with the world.
In 2002, Ruiz suffered a heart attack that left him in a hospital bed, which prompted him to pen his book, "The Four Agreements," in order to help others realize their potential for life. He told HuffPost Live host Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani that his health scare was one of the most liberating moments he'd ever encountered. It was because of this experience, he explained, that he was able to simply appreciate every aspect of his life.
"Enjoy your life," he stressed in the segment. "It's so simple when we don't take things personally. It's so simple when we don't make assumptions. ... We are the ones that complicate everything in our lives. When I had the heart attack, I knew it was a big opportunity to really show, not just to everybody else but also to my children, not to be afraid of death."
Ruiz also touched on lessons he learned from his own upbringing and how his near-death experience invited him to impart this wisdom on his own children.
"As a child, I learned that everything is possible," he said. "My mother always told me that everything is possible, the only thing I need is a strong discipline and a strong will."
For more on Ruiz's personal journey, check out the clip above and watch the full segment over on HuffPost Live.