LEGACY TOOLS

Ø      Your Legacy

A conceptual model that identifies the key components of a legacy filled with passion and purpose, and how the various components should fit together.

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::legacy

Life’s Greatest Treasures- Your real wealth is the living declaration of who you are as a unique human being—of the path you have traveled in your life, and the bridge of values, vision, wisdom, and experience that you have to offer. Pass on this true wealth in your own words.

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::celebrations

Occasions to Rejoice-   Celebrations connect us as couples, as families, as communities, as religious groups, as nations, and as mankind.  We need to share and preserve our memories of holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, gatherings, traditions, and milestones.

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::my children,  

        Priceless Conversations ::our children, (for couples)

        Priceless Conversations ::my child,

        Priceless Conversations ::our child (for couples)

Words of Love and Protection- Capture your fondest wishes for your children’s happiness, especially if you pass away before they grow up. Share your hopes, dreams, and instructions for them and those who will guide their footsteps in your absence. Your love can shelter them from life’s storms.

 

Ø      Priceless Conversations ::our special child

Sheltering a Precious Lamb- Your child, with their unique gifts and challenges, will need your love and understanding all their life, even after you’re gone.  Share your caring and your insights with your special child and with those who will shepherd them when you’re not here.

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::childhood years

Capturing Our Children's Stories-   Children ages 6-12 grow up so quickly that memories of their insight, honesty, and youthful exuberance can easily be lost.  This special process of annual interviews will keep alive the memories of this special but fleeting time of life.

 

Ø        Priceless Conversations ::sharing

Generosity that Matters-   Giving back, through generosity and serving others around us, makes our lives richer and more meaningful. Narrating to others the purposes behind our generosity and the experiences that motivate our giving strengthen and encourage those who come behind us to give more and serve more, and in the process, to discover their own life purpose.

 

Ø        Priceless Conversations ::giving (for nonprofit organizations)

Generosity that Matters-   Whether we give publicly or in private, it is important to share with others the purposes and passion behind our giving, so that our commitment to the causes and organization we benefit may evolve into a perpetual monument to the human spirit. Without the stories behind the gifts, important lessons are lost to future generations.

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::my house

Home is Where the Heart is- The places you’ve lived hold some of your most enjoyable stories and lessons. Revisit the homes of your past and you will strike a mother lode of memories, a rich vein of experiences that can be mined for a deeper meaning and understanding of your life.

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::love

Adventures of our Life Together- When you love them, you need to tell them.  And when they’re the love of your life, it’s important to capture those feeling and those expressions as a permanent reminder of how much you cherish the life you’ve built together.  When love is shared, it grows. 

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::the meaning of money

Using Wealth Wisely- Don’t just leave them money; leave them your life-lessons about how to use money with skill and judgment. Discover within yourself a treasure house of wisdom about the meaning of money—wisdom that will guide them to place true value on what they own.

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::pets

Man’s Best Friends- The friendship, loyalty, and companionship of pets are exquisite treasures to be cherished and remembered.   You need to recall how they have touched your life, to give instructions for their care, and to share your insights about their larger role in our lives.

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::my plan

Protecting and Providing for Those I Love- There are many reasons for doing estate planning, but ultimately they all boil down to this:  we want to touch the hearts and lives of those we love, even in our absence.  In this process, we can share what our lives have meant and what we hope for the lives of others.

 

Ø      Priceless Conversations ::angels and heroes 

Lives That Touch Our Hearts-  Your life has been lifted and enriched by the people who befriended you, took you under their wing, and went out of their way to help you along life’s journey.  As you tell their stories and how they made a difference for you, you also share important understanding about your own life. 

 

Ø      Priceless Conversations ::turning points

The Hinges of Our Lives-  Looking back at the significant moments of your life and relating how those events have helped to shape the person you have become, the deeper meaning of your life comes into clearer focus.  The narrative of your journey is a rich and intriguing tapestry that will touch others’ lives for good.

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::the meaning of success

A Guide to Successful Living- Explore and share your learning of what it means and what it takes to achieve success in life: professional success; educational success; financial success; success in relationships; and personal success. Your wisdom and insights can be a stepping stone to their success.

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::treasures

Possessions of Deep Emotional Value- By caring for your precious keepsakes and documenting their stories, you give three priceless gifts:  the treasures themselves; your dedication in preserving them and their meaning; and a richer understanding of your life and your family’s history. 

 

Ø        Priceless Conversations ::tribute

They Touched Our Lives for Good-   Before they passed, they were heroes who lived for something bigger than themselves.  While they lived, they touched the hearts and changed the lives of those around them.  We must now preserve their stories so they are never forgotten.

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::my values,  

        Priceless Conversations ::our values (for couples)

A Legacy of Value and Virtue- You’ve learned that it’s not hard to make good decisions when you know what your values are. Now you can share those values and teach those you love the joys of a values-centered, purpose-filled life. Surely there can be no greater mission for your life.

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::wisdom

A Record of Wisdom and Values- Wisdom is something personal, unique to you alone, a kind of wealth that, like all wealth, can be shared and passed along to those you love. Don’t let it remain buried alive within you,  but let it be dusted off, cherished, and remembered for generations to come.

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::wishes

Honoring Our Later Years- Making the last chapters of your life meaningful and truly reflective of your values can sometimes be challenging.  It requires that you take steps now to explain and document how you want others to implement what you have decided concerning your care.

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::veteran

The Legacy of Heroes-    “The secret of Happiness is Freedom, and the secret of Freedom, Courage.” (Thucydides)  Veterans’ stories of courage in defense of our freedoms must not be lost.  Their stories must be heard, shared, and saved, lest we forget the price they paid to allow us to enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

 

Ø     Priceless Conversations ::year in review

Stories of a Year Gone By- The sands of time pass quickly through the hourglass of our lives, and without an occasion for pausing and reflecting on the meaning of the last twelve months, many of the rich blessings and important lessons of our life can be overlooked.    

 

Ø      The Bridge Builder

A powerful piece about the importance of serving, giving back, and leaving a legacy for those who come after us.

 

Ø      I Come from a People

A group introductory exercise that promotes a depth of connection in a few minutes while allowing participants to connect with and share their heritage and their most important values.

 

Ø      Your Life in a Brown Paper Bag

A one-to-one or small group activity that facilitates the discovery of each other’s deepest self and the discovery of what really makes us tick, through the use of small personal objects and the stories behind them.

 

Ø      The Lighthouse

A presentation built around the “Turning Point” video that helps us see the potential impact of the small acts—and the small objects—in our lives and the lives of others.

 

Ø      Stories, Pictures & Heirlooms

A presentation that creates human to human connection between the presenter and the members of the audience by tapping into the experiences and feelings associated with our stories, family pictures, and heirlooms.

 

Ø      Words from the Heart

A presentation that demonstrates the power of words of wisdom left to children and grandchildren by a parent or ancestor; serves as an introduction to the Personal Legacy Declaration.

 

Ø      Personal Legacy Declaration Questionnaire

A booklet that simplifies the process of creating a first draft of “words from the heart” and sharing wisdom with those we love.

 

Ø      My Life, My Legacy

Unfolds the quadrants and major components of the Your Life model into a comprehensive summary of the life-wisdom of the client for his or her loved ones.

 

Ø      Lifeline of Significance

A one-to-one or small group activity that uses a thumbnail sketch of the major events of a lifetime to deepen understanding of the person and how they deal with life transitions.

 

Ø      Building Bridges

A presentation with beautiful graphics that explores how we can leave a legacy using all of our wealth—both financial and non-financial—to tell the story that will be left when we are gone.

 

Ø      Angels & Heroes

A one-to-one or small group activity that creates a true and unvarnished view of a person’s deepest and most closely held values by sharing the clients’ stories of the most impactful people in their lives

 

Ø      The Book of Life

A simple tool for solving a complex problem—how to capture and organize the myriad of stories and experiences that make up our life history,  in a way that is both fun and effective.

 

Ø      How Will You Be Remembered?

An 11x17 worksheet tool that helps clients clarify the difference they want to make in each of the key roles and relationships of their lives, and how to get started purposefully creating the legacy they will leave in each role or relationship.

 

Ø      Building Your Legacy with Passion & Purpose

An 11x17 worksheet tool that empowers advisors and clients to find what matters most in each component of the client’s legacy and then create a game plan for making it happen.

 

Ø      Priceless Objects, Important Stories

A one-to-one or small group activity that explores the true value of important objects that will become part of the clients’ legacy if the bonds between the objects and their associated stories are unbroken.

 

Ø      Tapping into your Wisdom

A one-to-one or group sharing technique that invites deeper sharing and deeper introspection, helping us recognize the wisdom in all of us.

 

Ø      Tapping into your Legacy Wisdom

A one-to-one or group sharing technique that invites deeper sharing and deeper introspection into the wisdom we all hold regarding the key components of a complete legacy.

 

Ø      Memorandum of Significant Personal Property

An estate planning tool designed not only to designate who is to receive what, but also why the object is significant, why each recipient was chosen to receive it, and what they will hopefully do with it upon receipt.

 

Ø      Priceless Memories :: Legacy Project

A process for honoring the person passed away, giving voice to all who loved them to share stories and words of consolation, and providing the decedent’s family the chance to hear how their loved one made a difference in dozens or hundreds of lives.