A life lived
virtuously and consciously ripples and reverberates eternal. That is the legacy
of unsung heroes.
That is one of the
legacies I hope to leave behind and try to live every aspect of my life with
that goal in mind. There is a part of me, the ego part I suppose, that wants to
see the difference I am making. I also know that there is so much I cannot see
that profoundly affects my life, the lives of others, the universe, and the
spiritual world. I don't necessarily have to see the total impact my life is
making to know that I am making one.
Those of us who
have children will certainly leave a legacy for them. If we love our children,
the legacy we leave should be a positive one.
My goal in raising
my children was to break the dysfunctional patterns of my heritage, the
problematic legacy that had been left for me. It took most of my life to break
the debilitating cycle I inherited but through tenacity I succeeded. I got
professional help for myself and made conscious choices in raising my children.
I refused to subject them to a life of emotional uphill climbing; to
emotionally saddle them with the problems of my past.
They have been
fortunate to not have to back-pedal through life as I did. They are both living
wonderful, successful, progressive, and happy lives. They are making healthy
choices. That is the legacy I will leave them and the generations that come
after them. If I accomplish nothing else in life, I will leave this Earth
fulfilled.
Everyone has a
different perspective so not everyone will see things from my point of view. My
perspective works for me and I hope to inspire others with it. But there are
many ways that we can impact the future and leave our mark on it, many ways we
can leave a legacy that will stand the test of time.
Step outside of
yourself for a minute and view yourself from the outside looking in. How do
others see you? Evaluate your morals, values, and beliefs. Would you be proud
for others to follow in your footsteps? Assess what areas you can improve on
and then take action immediately.
As long as you live
and breathe you can change what is not working in your life. The problem is we
never know when we will stop living and breathing. That is why we should never
hesitate to make positive changes as soon as we realize they need to be made.
A legacy is a
reflection of your uniqueness and self-expression. What personality traits or
innate gifts do you possess that seem to have the most impact on others? Is it
your morals and character, your generous heart, your ability to inspire others,
or your peaceful nature? Is it your talents, your sense of humor, your
idiosyncrasies, or your intellect?
Now think about the
interests and issues that arouse your enthusiasm. Do you want to make a
difference in causes such as child abuse, animal abuse, homelessness, health
issues, or better education for our children? Are you civic-minded and strive
for changes in your community or country? Are you passionate about making
global changes such as world peace, saving the environment, world hunger, or
stopping the spread of disease?
Next think about
the largess of your impact. Do you want to leave a legacy for your children and
grandchildren? Will you be happy with a legacy that stays within the family
tree for generations to come? Would you like to make a difference in someone's
life through vehicles such as adoption, foster care, or volunteering? Do you
want to impact the survivors of a cause? Are you hoping to be famous? Do you
want to leave your indelible mark on mankind?
Once you have
narrowed down the area or areas you would like to focus on you may need a plan
to help you implement it. Your plan should include short-term and long-term
strategies. Be flexible and understand that you cannot achieve everything at
once. Life is a series of processes. Life is continuously unfolding. Everything
shifts and changes over time. Your reality today may not be your reality
tomorrow, next month, or next year.
Evaluate where you
are now in your life and then think about the direction you want your legacy to
take you. How will you implement moving towards your goal? Perhaps you have
gifts that you have not shared with others and would like to; assets you
believe others would benefit from. Maybe you have regrets about something you
have done to someone in the past and have not yet made amends for, but hope to.
Maybe you have been longing to document your life in a journal or write a book.
Planning the legacy
you want to leave for the generations who follow after you is a loving act.
None of us will live forever but we should all leave behind a positive part of
us that will.
How are you living
your life currently? Start planning the direction you want your legacy to take
you and begin moving towards your goal.
