I recently heard the song, “How They Remember You” by Rascal Flatts and was immediately drawn to its message.
You’re gonna leave a legacy, no matter what you do. It ain’t a question of if they will, It’s how they remember you.
The song made me think about how I would like to be remembered. I want to be a kind and loving person, as many of us do. But we won’t be remembered for our good intentions. Our legacy is being written by the ordinary, everyday moments in life–in how present we are in conversations, in how we react when we receive the diagnosis or the news, and even in how we greet people.
When we want to make a positive change in our life, it is helpful to set intentions. We may want to live a healthier lifestyle, accumulate less clutter, be more generous, start a business or be more kind. Until we act, however, these are just thoughts. Merely wishing our legacy would be different doesn’t count.
Here are a few steps we can take today to begin writing a better story.
Start with the end
How do you want to be remembered? What values are important to you? Start with the end goal, and then work backwards.
If you want to be a more generous person, what are some simple ways you can begin making that virtue a priority? You may need to clear your schedule or better manage your finances. Maybe you want to be remembered as a fun grandparent. How can you infuse more fun into your time with your grandchildren?
We must aim for a target to have any hope of reaching it.
Seek God for help
We are fortunate to be able to go directly to God and share our desire for a change. He wants us to humbly approach him with the desires of our heart. God is good and faithful. When we lean on him, our desires become more like his.
Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Does this mean that he grants all of our prayers? No, but the more we delight in him (through prayer, reading his word, and other spiritual disciplines), the more our desires change to become his desires.
We can draw on the power of God to effect change when it aligns with his purpose for us.
Stop making excuses
That person who hurt us isn’t to blame for us dimming our future with a bitter heart or a sour attitude. That event that happened may have been terrible, but we can’t let it tie us down and hold us back from living a life of purpose and goodness. We may have had a run of bad luck or bad decisions, but we can’t let that prevent from becoming a better version of ourselves. Our busy schedule is our doing, and it can be lightened.
If you find yourself in a cycle of excuses, step out of the cycle. Change the narrative. Take ownership of your attitude and your future. Stop looking back and move on, even if you are only taking small, shaky steps.
We can choose to make the most of our future, starting today.
Change your way of thinking
Our thoughts are powerful influencers in our lives and can affect everything from relationships to joy. Sometimes we allow our negative self-talk to handicap our potential, but fortunately, we can control our thoughts. Begin to re-write the script you tell yourself. Instead of “I can’t…”, say “I am becoming…” Write down affirmations that you want to become true and repeat them every day. Use truth in scripture to build confidence and strength, such as “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
As Jon Acuff says in his book, Soundtracks, we should ask if a thought we are telling ourselves is true, if it is helpful, and if it is kind. If a thought isn’t these three things, then it is probably holding you back and needs to be revised.
Controlling our thoughts is a powerful way to lead to change.
Take action
Often, taking action to become the person we want to be takes us out of our comfort zone. It can be vulnerable. It can be a little (or a lot) scary. Taking action requires courage and change. But if God is directing us toward doing something, it is best to obey. We may run up against roadblocks, but we must persevere.
Saint Augustine said, “Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.”
We must take action to become the person we desire to be.
None of us knows how many more days we have left to live, but we have today. We can be the person we want to be, starting with one small step today. Over time, our small steps will add up, until one day we will look back and see that we are becoming someone who is leaving a carefully planned and well-earned legacy.
Did you stand or did you fall? Build a bridge or build a wall? Hide your love or give it all? What did you do? What did you do?
Lord, thank you for our gifts and talents. Please let our hearts and will align with yours, and use us for your good purpose. Help us to to thrive as the best version of ourself, living by faith in your will. Let us seek you in all that we do. May we pursue a legacy that leads to an abundant life that points others to God. Amen.
