What comes to mind when you hear the word legacy? Usually, people immediately jump to leaving behind physical and financial assets. But what about the wisdom you’ve gained over your lifetime? Today, I hope to inspire you to tell your story, because no-one else can do it like you.

November is National Life Writing Month, and it’s also Family Stories Month. The idea behind both is to encourage people to write about their life experiences, capturing the memories and moments that have shaped who they are.

I wish I’d paid more attention

It has been almost 25 years since my dad passed away. He was a terrific storyteller, but when I was younger I didn’t appreciate his stories. With the wisdom of age, I’ve learned that when someone dies, they take their stories with them. I wish I had paid closer attention to Dad’s tales while I could instead of rolling my eyes and tuning him out. There are so many things I’d love to know about him and his life growing up.

Don’t let time erase your legacy. Find a way to tell your story now while you still can.

Only you can tell your story

There is no one else on earth like you. No matter how ordinary you believe your life to be, you’ll realize many benefits from taking the time to reflect on it.

First, you’ll gain a greater appreciation for the experiences that shaped the person you’ve become and the people who influenced you along the way. Further, the rumination that it takes to tell your story will help you clarify and solidify your values. Above all, this reflection will provide a foundation for what’s to come—the next chapter in your story.

How to get started

In a recent post on my Second Life Vision retirement coaching site, I wrote about why everyone should put telling their story on their retirement to do list. Telling your story is as important a part of your legacy as passing on your belonging and financial assets.

But life writing is not just for retirees. You can tell your story at any stage of life. When I discovered the travel diary from my summer in France at age 18, reading it made me laugh out loud. It brought back such vivid memories and made me wish I’d written more when I was younger.

If you want to tell your story but don’t know where to start, I hope you’ll check out my post Is telling your story on your retirement to do list? to find out:

• How to get started on telling your story.
• Different ways to capture your story, even if writing isn’t your thing.
• Prompts to get the creative juices flowing.
• Where to get help if you need it.

Let’s keep in touch! Join my mailing list and I’ll email you when I add a new post.

Seek out inspiration from others

One of the greatest sources of inspiration is reading the memoirs of others. I’ve read many books written by celebrities and politicians, but we’re fortunate to have some terrific memoirs written by members of the blogging community. Here are a couple I’d recommend:

• Surviving Sue by Dr. Vicki Atkinson is an inspirational story of survival and resilience. Vicki shares the challenges of growing up with a disabled sister and a mother with mental health and addiction issues. You’ll experience a roller coaster of emotions as Vicki gives you an intimate look at the chaos and the pain. And you’ll laugh out loud at the humorous moments along the way.
• Finding My Father’s Faith by Wynne Leon shares Wynne’s experience as the daughter of a Presbyterian minister. After following a different spiritual path as an adult, Wynne sought to reconcile her spirituality with her father’s faith through reading his papers and engaging in an open dialogue with him. The book is a wonderful tribute to Wynne’s father Dick Leon, and it’s a powerful reminder that love and respect can win out, even when our beliefs differ.

I encourage you to read Wynne and Vicki’s books. They might just inspire you to write your own memoir. And don’t forget to check out my post on Second Life Vision to make a start on telling your story.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the importance of telling your story. And if you’ve read any inspiring memoirs lately, tell me about them in the comments below.