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acknowledgment can provide the opportunity to completely change the trajectory of another person's life. And
most often, it won’t even cost you a dime.
Respect the planet and all living things. Switching to a refillable bottle for your gym jaunts may not seem like
much, but the small decisions you make to walk instead of drive or bring your own travel mug to the coffee shop
to get your morning latte add up. Crank up your awareness that the earth is a living host.
Be a person of integrity and you will earn the respect of those in your life. This will have your family and peers
celebrating you and your biggest critics admiring you. This respect most often comes from speaking truth, acting
humbly, and offering respect in your connections with others.
Be a smile-maker. We are presented with countless opportunities every single day to make someone smile.
Whether it is a compliment, a gesture of support or breaking out that hilarious one-liner at just the right time,
seizing those opportunities imprints your legacy on the heart of another.
Share your talents and natural-born gifts. Whether you own a company that builds beautiful homes or you are
responsible for lovingly landscaping them, share your innate talents with the world. Your beautiful voice, ability
to advocate for another or gentle manner with a child may be examples of some of the special things that you
have to offer the world. Share them.
Participate in values-based work. Honoring your values in your work will carry over to your home life too. This
creates a whole-life scenario that is congruent with your core beliefs. This is a powerful element to include when
creating a legacy you’ll love. Participating in work that opposes your values will erode your health, level of
happiness and muddy the vision of your legacy.
When Mattie Stepanek was approaching the end of his short life
he asked his mother Jeni, “Have I done enough? Will it last?”
This young man of 13 had not only appeared on The Oprah Show
many times promoting his message of peace, but enjoyed a very
special, personal friendship with Oprah too. Mattie wrote several
New York Times best-selling books, inspired audiences of
thousands with his eloquent speeches, and raised millions for
MDA. So one might wonder how it is possible that this child,
who was an acclaimed poet, peacemaker and philosopher could
possibly query his mom in this way. The answer to this is that it
is in our nature to wonder if our life has made a difference in the
world. We want to know that the world is somehow better
because we were here. We want to feel extraordinary—even if it is well hidden in the very ordinary aspects of our lives.
President Jimmy Carter eulogized Mattie saying, “We have known kings and queens, and we've known presidents and
prime ministers, but the most extraordinary person whom I have ever known in my life is Mattie Stepanek.” And the
truth is, whether a person lives thirteen seconds or lives 113 years; his life matters and holds a legacy. Mattie taught us to
distinguish being important from being famous and that it is a right and a gift to be able to touch another human being.
So if you want a place to mindfully begin building a legacy you will love, why not begin there?
(c) Rena M. Reese All Rights Reserved
Rena M. Reese is the founder of Soul Salon International, an inspirational multimedia company.
She is the author of several inspirational titles, a professional speaker and coach as well as the
host of a weekly radio program, The Soul Salon. For more inspiration and information, please
visit The Soul Salon and connect with her on Twitter @TheSoulSalon
December, 2011 Yang-Sheng (Nurturing Life) 69