Article on Making a Difference, 10 Things You Can Do in the Next 10 Days to Make A Difference

10 Things You Can Do in the Next 10 Days to Make A Difference

How will you be remembered? If you were to die tomorrow, would you be satisfied that you had spent your life well?

Maybe your time is occupied by trying to accomplish things – make money, meet deadlines – but you haven’t given much thought to who you have become.

Or perhaps you have all the things you ever wanted. But you’re beginning to understand that you can’t take those things with you when you go.

The truth is, what people remember about you years after you die won’t be how much stuff you had, or even what you did. They will remember who you WERE.

In the end, it’s not the destination that matters. It’s who you are on the path.

Examining what kind of legacy you’ve developed already – then working to bring that picture of yourself into better alignment with the person you want to be -- is something you can do today. Whether or not you make a conscious decision about what you’ll leave behind – some day you will leave. It’s the nature of life that man’s days are numbered. But others will live on after you’re gone.

What will they think of you?

In Making a Difference, Leaving a Legacy from Ultimate Destiny University, you’ll find a self-assessment quiz that reveals your underlying attitudes and practices about your place in the world, as well as material to help you understand the results, and references to the books written by people who have faced this same issue – books that tell you what steps you can be taking now to leave behind a legacy rich in blessings.

Do you have to start now? Maybe not. A psychiatrist once asked his patient, “What would you do if you knew you only had 6 months to live?” The patient answered, “Why, I’d quit my job and go mountain climbing and tell my wife I’ve always loved her.” And the doctor replied, “How do you know you’ve even got 6 months?”

Here are 10 things you can do in the next 10 days to examine what you’ve accomplished and get a handle on what might still need to be done. Read one item from this list each day and work on incorporating it into your life. As you add new skills, don’t forget to keep up the lessons from the earlier days.
These are subtle but important changes in perspective and behavior that will help you become the most prosperous person you can be.

1. Stop negative talk. Decide that today, and from here on, that you will never describe your life in negative terms. Never again say, “Nothing one man does can make a difference” or “Who cares about the future? I have enough trouble keeping up with the present.” Unless you want to feel hopeless and powerless, stop sending energy to those negative concepts.

2. Visualize. Take some time to form a mental picture of yourself as someone who has spent a life well-lived. What do friends say at your funeral? How do your grandchildren remember you? What will your community say you contributed? Develop the most complete picture you can of yourself as the person who has lived well, and return to that image often throughout the day.

3. Affirm. It’s not enough to just stop saying you’re powerless; you must say that you’re blessed with the ability to do the right thing. No matter what condition you are in at this moment, you have the power to claim a better condition. When you wake up in the morning, say aloud, “My life is making a difference in the world.” As you drive, repeat, “I am building a stable foundation for my remaining days.” Before you retire at night, say aloud, “I’ve done everything I can to be of service to my fellow man today, and I can sleep in peace.” Draw energy to that perfect vision of yourself by describing your vision in words – out loud.

4. Pray. If you’re not a religious type, or not sure you believe in “God,” then choose your higher self, a higher power, Nature, guardian angels, or whatever you think is “out there.” Ask for help in three parts: a request, an affirmation and a thank-you. “Spirit, show me how I can best serve the world. I now am making a difference that will outlive me. Thank you, Spirit, for showing me my highest path.”

5. Write a goal. Begin with that speech they give at your funeral from Day #2, but expand it now. See yourself doing the things in life that earned that praise, and write those things down as if you’re doing them now. “I spend my resources wisely, I help others whenever I can, I take good care of my family and also spend time improving my community.”

6. Write a plan. To get from where you are today to where you want to be will require action. Figure out some of the steps on that path. Do you need to inventory your skills and decide where you might be needed? Talk to a spiritual leader? Consider where you might want your wealth to go some day and write a will? Choose one action plan and write down the first step. If you decide to write a will, the first step might be researching recipients who will spend your money in ways that are in keeping with your own values.

7. Feel grateful. It might sound counter-intuitive to be “thankful” for the positive legacy you will leave when you haven’t yet determined what that legacy will be. But that attitude of gratitude will help pull you in the right direction. Thank your God, or life itself, that you are still healthy enough to make these decisions, that you have at least today to be of service. Hold that feeling of gratitude in your heart.

8. Forgive. This is a difficult step for many people, but it’s vital. Imagine: Don’t concern yourself with the shortcomings of others, although you will find them sometimes standing in your way. Being a worthwhile person will take all your time; don’t waste any time being angry at the people you feel aren’t trying as hard as you are. And don’t be angry at yourself if you’ve also sometimes fallen short. You did the best you could at the time, and now you’re learning a better way.

9. Release the past. Tied to forgiving is the idea of letting go of what was. You don’t have to be the way you’ve always been. If your life has been pretty much centered around work, at the expense of your family, you no longer have to be that way. If you’ve cared only about your immediate circle and given nothing to your community, you can change that, too. Be willing to let go of the things in your life that you can’t be proud of. Break the pattern and forget them now. You are born anew.

10. Let joy in. Sometimes we are so driven to achieve, and even to serve, we forget to appreciate the wonder of this life. Your life and your happiness are also important. Joy will ultimately make you a better person, with more to give. Let yourself be as happy as you can.

After you’ve spent 10 days unlearning bad habits, learning good ones, and adding activities to your day, see if you can keep them up for another 10 days, and then perfect them in the 10 days after that. Pray, visualize and affirm every day. Watch what you say and think, and keep yourself positive. Forgive those who wrong you and feel grateful for the things that go right. Keep writing down your goals and action plans. When you catch yourself clinging to old ways, let them go. And let yourself feel good about it!

One month from today, you’ll see yourself in a different light – as a person who will be remembered for kindness, service, and faith.

Making a Difference and Leaving a Legacy is one of 12 primary facets of discovering and co-creating your ultimate destiny. It is a component of the 14-part, 1000+ page program on Co-Creating Your Ultimate Destiny Success System.

There is also a membership blog site at http://makingadifferenceleavingalegacy.wordpress.com.

Ultimate Destiny University also offers training to help you determine and understand your attitudes about financial success, physical health, and other areas. For more information, go to www.UltimateDestinyUniversity.com.

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