Tell Your Own Story

You are the most important connection to the past. The story of your life, hopes, dreams, and lessons learned are of the most value to your children and grandchildren, simply because they have known you. This record becomes even more precious to them when you are no longer within their reach.

It is important for you to document every aspect of your life that you possibly can. Do not become overwhelmed. Start today. Little by little you will fill the annals of history and greatly influence the lives of those you love most.

Keep in mind that they will not only be interested in specific details about your life, but they will also profit from knowing the reasons why you made the choices you did in your life.

Do not be discouraged if it seems that no one is interested in your history or that of their ancestors. Many of us have made the mistake of taking for granted those we have around us each day, however, we would be hard pressed to find those who have lost loved ones who no longer long for the influence those loved ones had in life. The opportunity to speak from the dust, so to speak, lies in you ability to leave a legacy today.

Purchase a notebook or journal and put it near your bed. Every night, write down the experiences that you had that day and how you felt and handled opportunities that came your way.

It is necessary to do this each day because even we who have these experiences forget them all too soon.

Tell about the trials of your life and how you overcame them. Speak to them on the words of those pages as if they were hearing firsthand. Tell of the joys you experience.

My own journals have become a great source for stories that I want to preserve for future generations. I do not want my own story to become the most longed for by my posterity. I hope that I can anticipate what things they will want to know most about me and make my story available to them.

Perhaps you would like to take the challenge of writing and publishing a 21 page story about your life. With the help of this LIFE STORY MAP, you can write your life story as you answer basic questions about your life. Once your story is complete, contact me and I will show you how to turn it into a cherished family heirloom.

I recently published "Women of Strength: 7 Generations," where I told stories about
seven generations of women from my daughter's maternal line. You can preview the book:

"Women of Strength: 7 Generations"

(click the link above)