Published May 15, 2025
“One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” – Psalm 145:4
Legacy as defined by the New Oxford American Dictionary: The long-lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past, or of a person’s life.
I am here to empower you and to nudge a friendly reminder: The things YOU do and say matter, YOU make a difference, and YOU leave an impact whether you realize it or not.
Here’s proof! I recently heard an astonishing story from Blair Braverman (Instagram @blair_braverman) who is a dogsled racer, speaker, and author. She competed in the 2019 Iditarod, the 1,000 mile race from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. At a recent keynote address, she talked about her pack of sled dogs in which one of them, Refried (yes…as in beans), would sing while on runs.
Huskies are known for their endurance and speed, being able to pull sleds through snow and long distances. They are intently focused on the run, definitely NOT on singing while racing. But Refried wouldn’t just sing randomly, she would sing when the team needed motivation. At 4am when it didn’t seem like the sun would ever rise, when morale was down, when they needed a boost, that’s when she would sing! Her song would excite the team so much that Blair would have to grab tightly onto the handlebars of the sled or else she’d fly off the back from the acceleration!
What’s Refried’s legacy, you ask? I bet you’re wondering where this story is going. Read on…..
Refried passed a year ago after living a long and wonderful life. Blair was sad she wouldn’t hear her song again. Not so! The first run after Refried’s passing, she expected it to be wistfully silent. She took the other dogs out in the woods and although it was silent at first, suddenly she heard the song. The other dogs had learned the music from Refried and were singing in her absence! Blair now has a singing dog team which is unusual but so awe-inspiring!
Refried is still with them. She brought motivation and joy to her fellow Huskies (and Blair!), which will continue on after her passing. That’s her legacy.
Moral of the story? The impact we have on those around us is so much more than we realize, and it lasts long after we are gone.
We’re all going to die. But there’s one thing that lives on forever, and that’s our legacy.
Why are you here? Think about it. I touched on this in a previous blog from a few weeks ago. Why were you born in this day and time? What do you want to be remembered for? Have you really thought about it? Honestly, I didn’t until the past year. This has made me reflect: What is my life really about?
I think most of us are just trying to manage our daily lives. We go to work, take care of our kids, go on a few vacations, hang out with friends, and spend time with family. Yes, those are wonderful things to be doing but in the process, we probably aren’t thinking about the legacy we’re leaving behind. I certainly had not been.
I remember in those early months following my husband’s death, a friend said something that has stuck with me. She lost her dad while she was in college. She had told me that she always wants to make him proud. She’s now in her 50’s and continues to live this way, after all these years.
Wow. I think I would have eventually discovered this on my own, but it might have taken me many months. Hearing it from her, I instantly knew that I wanted to do the same. I always want to make Matt proud. The kids have also instilled this goal into their own lives.
Therefore, let’s leave a legacy that our loved ones will be proud of! Make it a piece of your personal growth journey!
Truly contemplate what you want your life to be about. What will you be remembered for, long after you’re gone from this earth?
The time is NOW. We have this tendency to wait…until our lives slow down, until the kids grow up, until we get to a certain point in our careers. But there will always be something, an excuse of some sort.
I don’t care how young or old you are. We can all make a difference.
Is there a purpose you are passionate about? What message do you want to spread? Although it can be something you are officially organizing or intentionally a part of, please note that it doesn’t need to be a huge endeavor. It can be as simple as asking yourself this: “Would you be proud of you? Would you be okay if your children developed the same characteristics, values, and behaviors as you?”
I can definitely work on some things. I am proud of many aspects of my life, but these questions have made me dive deeper into analyzing my own behaviors and decisions.
I believe there are many chapters in my life waiting to unfold. I can, to an extent, write my own story. If there is to be a history book written about my life, what do I want it to say?
I hope you will ask yourself these same questions.
Let’s not tiptoe through life, afraid to open doors and scared of taking chances. I feel it in my soul that the biggest rewards in life involve getting out of our comfort zones. Learn to be uncomfortable. Develop that itch for curiosity. Don’t worry so much about what others think. Do what gives you inner peace.
Maybe THAT THING is a big project. Or maybe THAT THING is to be the best grandparent on earth, always welcoming your grandkids into your home to have fun, laugh, bake, do crafts, and run around the yard. I promise that your love…and legacy…will be remembered by your family. And you’ll be living your best life in the process.
I will close with this. I was just listening to a daily prayer about how there are nearly 3,400 individuals named in the bible yet we know very little about most of them. Think about all the kings and prophets and those names that are only mentioned once or twice. Yet put together, they become the amazing story of our faith. Place this into modern day: although we may seem like a tiny piece in this huge world, we play an important part in the community around us.
We may not change the entire world, but we can change someone’s world.
Let me know your thoughts! Please share some legacy figures in your life. What do you want to be remembered for? Find me on Instagram @sincerelyjulie_joyful_living, contact me at inquiry@sincerelyjulie.com, or comment below.