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You are more than the sum of your parts, and in the case of your legacy, you are vastly more than any of the material things and monies you possess. But when dealing with the difficult conversation of what we'll leave after we die, it's often easier to focus on gifting our physical assets.

Estate planning, on its surface, seems like a strategy for deciding how things will be parsed once we're gone. However, any monetary wealth you accrue is just a placeholder for the life you've lived while acquiring it. So, when it comes to your inheritance plan, it's more important to consider your life's meaning, and those lessons that you hope to pass forward.

Your greatest treasure is in the many ways you’ve impacted others and the world, a legacy that is driven by the values you strive to live. In this post, we'll highlight the many ways you can share your priceless legacy, as well as how to live it more fully while you're still here building it!

WHAT IS YOUR LEGACY?

If the thought of defining your legacy and how you'll leave yours’s sounds daunting, you're not alone. Not only does it require facing the reality that we each are finite, but there is also the more frightening pressure that we won't measure up to the purpose that we believe to be important.

Legacy sometimes sounds like something only the wealthy and powerful need to consider. However, the basic description of legacy is "something transmitted by, or received from,  an ancestor or predecessor to the next generation." Thus, the definition qualifies each of us as someone who will leave a legacy.

Closely associated with legacy is our list of values. For some, the word "values" comes with a heavy judge-like burden because while we strive to live them, we realize we sometimes fall short.

When was the last time you identified your values and your strategy for living more fully? Psychology Today offers an assessment process in 39 Core Values-and How to Live Them. The article's point is not to be ashamed of how you've missed the mark at times but to objectively clarify the principles most important to you. From that step, you can create a plan to incorporate your values more often.

To calibrate your values, begin by being fair to who you currently are and all the ways you make a difference in the lives of others. For example, what roles do you serve in your family, with your friends, at work, and in your community? Give yourself credit for these responsibilities, and then ramp up your actions in those areas that matter most.

METHODS TO TELL YOUR STORY

So long as we breathe, there is an opportunity for growth. Jann Freed, legacy and leadership coach, provides inspiration and ideas for making the later stage the best times in life.  By defining your values, you can feel more engaged and purposeful in your present.

Part of preparing and living your legacy could include telling your stories to those who matter most to you. In interviews with the dying, key regrets often revolve around a wish they had spent more time being courageous in expressing their feelings and fostering relationships. By telling and listening to life stories now, you can avoid these regrets. Here we provide several ways to tell life stories.  

Legacy Letter:

A legacy letter (sometimes called an ethical will) is a document that conveys your thoughts, feelings, and life lessons to others.

Consider who you want to write letters to, and what you wish to say. Cake provides a step-by-step guide to writing a legacy letter. The key is to allow yourself to free-flow your thoughts and then make it a point to redraft it after some consideration.

Photo Storybooks:

Pictures capture our attention at a visceral level. We see the images and faces which immediately transport us into relatable feelings and experiences.

Unfortunately, it often takes a funeral before people pull out years of photos to remember someone. Review and create beautiful books of your pictures for people to enjoy right now! Time spent together looking at photos is a great way to bond and remember together.

Take your photobook to the next level by including captions such as where, when, and who is in the pictures. And with on-demand print, you can even personalize your books with signature pictures for a select audience. You’ll start by digitizing images and organizing them which is another gift to share.

Photo Story Videos:

Slides of photos are great, but pictures that come wrapped with audio storytelling are even better. Create talking picture videos featuring signature images with someone special describing them in the background. Ask your grandparent, mother, sibling(s), or dear friend to relate details and match them up with photos and music. It's like sitting together and enjoying a photo album.

Life Storybooks:

While technology races along, we can never be sure that the new formats will be readable in the future. However, life story books are a tool that remain reliable no matter the changes.  You have instant access to information at your fingertips whenever you want with a book.

Plus, the tactile nature of a book is powerful, offering a deep story-catching connection. Flip through the pages of a book, catch a whiff of the ink and paper, and allow yourself to melt into the stories as they come to life while you read.

Children's Life Story Book:

If there are children in your life and significant others in your family with compelling stories, consider telling those tales in a children's book format. If you have an illustrator in your midst and a bit of writing interest, you can pull those talents together to create short stories tailored to young and old.

Family Reunions:

Summer is a popular time for family reunions. If you're looking for fun activities to do with the family at these gatherings, consider creating a Custom Timeline Family card quiz game that shares photos, factoids, and stories.

Relating family stories with a timeline game makes for an engaging keepsake for everyone. At the same time, while you play your game together, discover the exciting differences in what people remember.

LIVE YOUR LEGACY

If the thought of living each day as if it's your last seems depressing, flip that notion to living as if time is precious, and you have experiences to share and hear. Identify your values, relate your stories and experiences, and you can enjoy your legacy while you are here right now. .

Postscript: When things seem out of control like it feels these days, acting where we have control is a comfort. Cleaning up your stuff is within your power! If you need help getting going on organizing your home check out Get Organized Gal’s courses for support.

I used her course to organize my office, and it is in pretty good shape these days. Success in one space has lead to cleaning channels to other rooms and photos as well. Check out he courses here.

Sherry is the founder of Storied Gifts a personal publishing service of family and company histories. She and her team help clients curate and craft their stories into books. When not writing or interviewing, Sherry spends loads of time with her grandchildren and lives in Des Moines, Iowa.

STORIED GIFTS SHOP

Need a beautiful infusion of inspiration for your storied life? Please check out the Storied Gifts Shop where the theme is Words of Encouragement.

The shop is a mother and daughter venture for Sherry and Alexandra Borzo of Content In Motion. They both work to help their client's stories sing. The shop is their effort to inspire a focus on healthy minds for everyone through positive thought.

LET’S BE FRIENDS

Please like the Storied Gifts Facebook page. We offer tips and inspirations to help you tell your stories and live a storied life by harnessing your healthy mind through the power of the thoughts you choose.