How Do You Want to Be Remembered?

There’s a point in every person’s life where they pause, look out the window, and ask themselves, “How do I want to be remembered?”

Some want their kids to remember them as a fun parent or their spouse to reminisce about their shared life. Others dream of their name engraved into buildings, with their accomplishments remembered fondly in history textbooks.

Whether you dream small or live big, at some point, we all have to consider our lasting legacy and what that means. Here are a couple questions to ask yourself to help you reflect on your life and how you want to be remembered.

How do you want to be remembered?

There are three key question categories when you ask yourself how you want to be remembered.

The first is reflection. Simply put, this is the most important part when looking back on your life. Reflection allows you to look back on your accomplishments, legacy, and what matters most to you.

The second is identifying your values. These are what goals and beliefs are most important to you throughout your life. Your values will change as you grow older, but taking a moment to identify them is beneficial.

Lastly, you want to think about your impact. This is the physical and emotional memories you leave with the world (small and large scale). How you impact the world might not be reflected today or tomorrow, but the steps you take now help set the stage for how you are remembered.

Grab a sheet of paper or your journal and separate it into three sections: reflection, values, and impact. From there, read each section, and take some time to write down your thoughts about your personal journey. Use the questions included in the text as a guide.

Reflecting on Your Life

We often wait for significant life events to reflect on our past. Sometimes, it’s marriage or the birth of your first child; other times, you reflect as a result of the death of someone close to you. Either way, we spend so much time looking to the future that we often forget our past.

Northwestern Medicine conducted a study in 2012 that revealed memories are distorted each time you think back to them. With PostScript, you don’t have to worry about losing those finer details, as you can record messages to send after your passing as soon as you want.

There are two parts to a useful reflection session: considering what you’ve accomplished and thinking about the legacy you want to leave behind.

Remember, everyone’s journey is unique, which makes capturing yours with PostScript even more important.

Once you’ve looked at the past, now is the time to look into the future.

When you think about the legacy you want to leave behind, you’re contemplating the impact you want to make on the world.

Lastly, take a few moments to reflect on what’s most important to you. That includes the people, activities, and memories you hold dearest to your heart.

Identify Your Values

What do you value? Who or what is most important to you? We might have the answers to these questions in our back pocket, but laying them out in front of you lets you think about how you will be remembered.

Defining your values is a powerful process that helps you live a more authentic and fulfilling life.

Your values are the things that you believe are most important in life, and they guide your thoughts, behaviors, and decision-making. When you know your values, you can live in a way that aligns with what truly matters to you and make choices that lead to a more meaningful and purposeful existence.

To define your values, ask yourself some questions. What do you believe is most important in life? What motivates you to get up in the morning? What do you want to be remembered for? You can also reflect on times when you felt most fulfilled, happy, and content, and consider what values were at play.

As you begin to define your values, it’s important to remember that they are unique to you and may change over time. Your values could include honesty, integrity, creativity, kindness, or adventure. Whatever your values may be, they are the things that you believe are most important in life, and they can serve as a guidepost for living a life that is true to yourself.

Your values influence the decisions you make and the actions you take, and they can inspire others to follow in your footsteps. For example, if you value honesty, integrity, and hard work, your legacy might include a reputation for being trustworthy and dependable, and achieving success through dedication and determination.

By living a life guided by your values, you can create a legacy that aligns with what truly matters to you.

Your legacy is the impact you make on the world, and it is shaped by the values that guide your decisions and actions. By living in alignment with your values, you can leave a legacy reflecting who you are and your impact on the world.

Think About Your Impact

Your impact on the world starts the moment you are born. But more importantly, the impact and legacy you leave behind lasts long after you pass. It’s time to start thinking about what impact you want to leave on the world or, on a smaller scale, the people you care about most.

Start with your family: what lessons have you learned that you want to share with them or traditions that you believe should be passed down to future generations? Ensure that your family knows that you love and care about them.

Next are your friends. How do you want them to remember you? Is it being funny? Sentimental? It’s never too late to tell them you care about them. Don’t let tragedy or sickness be the only reason you get back in touch with them.

What about the community around you? Take some time to volunteer or donate to causes that you care about. Think about how you can best help your community be a better place.

More importantly, your actions matter regarding lasting impact, not just your words. If you care about your family, show them. If you want to make a difference, do something about it.

Explore how you can increase your positive impact on the world. Whether volunteering, participating in various activities, or even spending dedicated time with the people you love, the impact you leave behind begins today.

Set Goals

Every January, sit down with your family and write a list of goals. This allows you to reflect and consider how you want to be remembered and what’s left to accomplish.

By reviewing these goals with your loved ones, you’re not just holding yourself accountable but also creating a space for generations to come where they can reflect, move forward, and constantly improve.

How do you want to be remembered with PostScript?

As we journey through life, reflecting on our values, it’s important to think about how you want to preserve your legacy. With PostScript, never let something go unsaid again. Take back your legacy and tell your story to the world with your PostScript or leave a recorded message or gift for your loved ones after you pass.