When most people think about the word legacy, money comes to mind as the thing they should leave behind for their loved ones. But that may not the only thing you should consider when planning for the things you want to be remembered for handing over.
According to Forbes, 74 percent of people say the most important thing to pass on is “values and life lessons” and “financial assets and real estate” came in last!
We’ll leave the legal stuff up to the Estate Planning attorneys (my husband — an Estate Planner – will likely take this as a pat on the back) and we’ll help you take that process a step further. Here are a few little known ways you can pass on your legacy to the ones you love the most.
Write it down
There is something incredibly nostalgic about reading a handwritten note from someone who is no longer with us. Seeing their handwriting, imagining them scribble down the words before you and imagining how they felt when they wrote it is sure to bring a smile to your face. Keeping a journal of the important times throughout your life is a great way to share your stories and give a little bit of history while you’re at it!
Create a tradition
For some reason, every year on the first night of Hanukkah, my parents made us sit on the couch before we were allowed to open our gifts. The floor wouldn’t do, and neither would the recliner. All three of us had to sit side-by-side on the couch while we waited our turn to open gifts. I can’t explain it, but I also make my own kids do this around the Christmas tree in December (yes, our family is religiously-cultured 🙂 ). This simple, seemingly insignificant tradition is one that will forever remind me of my mom and my days as a kid. My mom, by the way, is still healthy and living, and this tradition is likely to surpass her and maybe even surpass me! Traditions, no matter how big or small is a great way to create connection between family and friends.
Teach family skills
Some families have carried on skills for multiple generations. Examples are those who use a family recipe to make their own spaghetti sauce by boiling down pallets of tomatoes that were hand-picked. This hefty process creates some of the most amazing sauces but is also a labor of love. If one generation were to be skipped, the tradition – and likely the recipe – would be lost forever. Teach your family members the skills that your family members taught you as a great way to create a bond between generations.
Family tree
A family tree is one way to answer the question “where do babies come from” but it’s also fun way to learn more about where your ancestors came from too! Building a tree doesn’t have to be difficult, or pretty, and it can be done for free using ones like these. Having a visual of your family’s past and building onto it as your family grows is a gift that truly, keeps on giving!
Create a digital album
Remember when you had to wait for the film to be developed before you could see the photos you snapped on your disposable camera?! Those were the days, right!
We’ve come a long way from there and it is easier than ever to take – and keep – pictures. In fact, according to Mylio in 2020 there were 1.12 trillion photos taken with an expected 1.4 trillion in 2021! While not all those photos need to be preserved, the ones that do should be digitized, saved and secured for years to come. Using a cloud-based service like FOREVER is the perfect full-proof way to be sure your photos will be around for generations to come due to their guarantee of preserving your photos for your lifetime plus 100 years.
So there you have it! Leaving a legacy is much more than passing on your pennies (or nickels, or Benjamins) it’s really about passing on your values, stories and family history.
