What will be said about you when you're gone? Are you kind? Are you gentle? Are you giving? Are you loving? These are the questions Heather Anne Naples asked herself after a brain aneurysm that brought her all to close to death--and the realization that her young daughter may not remember her, so all she would know would be the stories that others told about her. She encourages us to replace one negative thought with a positive one and feel the power; to look at our lives and make changes where they need to be made; and to spread this message:

Live. Put your phone down. Talk to the person in front of you. Hold the door for people. Smile if someone catches your eye. Say thank you. Say please. Give hugs. Compliment people. Compliment yourself. Love yourself. No one will remember what size the pants are you are wearing but they will remember the way you walked in them. So walk softly. Speak boldly. Love gently. Laugh loudly. Call someone if they cross your mind. Allow yourself to be happy for others, and most importantly allow yourself to be happy for yourself, through every stage and step of your life. Be happy. Life doesn't have to be perfect for it to be perfect.

Source: Today Parenting Team, "How the fear of dying taught me how to live" by Heather Anne Naples.