legacy: something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past; how a person has affected change on the world in a positive way
Increasingly as we age, most of us want to feel that our life has meaning... that we matter... that we will be remembered. We can’t all be legendary sports, entertainment, political or heroic celebrities with books written about us. Most of us lead interesting, but rather ordinary, lives that affect a limited number of people.
But each of us does matter, however limited our circle of influence. And we can expand our influence proactively reaching out to others or living our life as a model or inspiration to others. We can write, create videos, teach, lead, care for, advise, mentor, build or simply set an example for those who follow us.
We can CHOOSE the level of impact and reach that we can have on the world we live in and leave behind. There may be barriers and limitations, but each of us can, with creativity and determination, put our mark on the world in some way.
As I age, I find myself thinking more and more about legacy.
I named the company that I formed after retiring LegacyLife international LLC... in support of a meaningful life and legacy. It’s the parent of EverAgeless.com and other initiatives that I have worked on since retiring from my branding and marketing firm of 37 years.
Legacy means something to me. I want my wife and children to be proud of me... to know that I tried to lead a life of integrity and purpose... to be a positive role model and caring parent. I have fallen short many times and in many ways. But I want them to know that I did what I could with a caring heart and tried my best to make a positive mark on the world into which I was born. To me, that’s the most valuable example I can set.
This is not a long post today. But it’s a heartfelt one that speaks to the core of what I think is important in life. Every day should be about legacy... doing things, making choices that I want to be remembered for. A consistent focus on legacy is a powerful deterrent from saying and doing stuff that we will regret later, and for which we definitely do NOT want to be remembered.
We have the power to choose how we will be remembered. And every day is another opportunity to show who we really are, and how much we care about others more than our self.
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