Seattleite Chanel Reynolds took personal tragedy and managed to turn it into something positive — a lesson she could share with others, something to make for a “softer landing” should the “ground fall out from under your feet,” as it did to her.

On her website, “Get Your S#@!t Together,” Reynolds writes that in 2009 her husband was killed in an accident. “In the following hours, weeks, and months I was shocked by the number of things we had left disorganized or ignored. Critical documents you can spend a fraction of the time doing now,” she writes.

She says that when she was standing in the ICU and knew that her husband wouldn’t survive, she realized that with the tragic magnitude of the situation at hand, she still couldn’t help but wonder if she and her husband had life insurance.

In order to help others learn from her situation, and create “healthy communities of people who are taking care of themselves,” Reynolds offers a clear, easy-to-use website that guides users on everything from wills and insurance to money management.