Writing My Own Obituary: A Reflection on Legacy, Creativity, and the Life I Want to Build
- ckeslow
- Nov 28
- 3 min read
A personal exploration of the legacy I hope to leave behind. Shaped by creativity, connection, and the power of storytelling.
Why WRITE YOUR Own Obituary?
Writing your own obituary is a strange exercise at first, but it forces you to think about your life in reverse. Instead of imagining future achievements in a goal-setting format, you imagine the meaning people will take from your life after you're gone.
This type of self-reflection legacy writing is emotional, grounding, and clarifying.
It made me consider what truly matters to me, what I hope my work will stand for, and how I want to show up in the world.
The Legacy I Hope to Leave Behind
In the obituary I wrote, I imagined a version of myself who lived a life defined by curiosity, creativity, and connection. I described a future where storytelling, through marketing, photography, and videography, becomes the core of my work and the foundation of the impact I leave behind.
From my years at Bryant University to the decades beyond, I pictured a life where visual storytelling and brand strategy aren’t just career paths, but vehicles for inspiring others to see the world differently.
I imagined a future version of myself who uses creativity not as a job, but as a way of helping people feel seen.
A Career Built on Storytelling and Purpose
In the obituary, the future version of me builds a strategic production company, one that collaborates with emerging brands, creators, and voices who deserve to be heard.
This company becomes a space where honesty, emotional depth, and clear vision guide the work. By my 50s, this creative movement grows far beyond marketing; it becomes something cultural , shaping how stories are told in long-format advertising.
Even imagining this felt powerful. It helped me see the larger purpose behind the career I’m building now: making ideas feel like experiences, helping others share their truth, and using creativity to move people emotionally.
It reinforced that my dream career isn’t about “content creation”: it’s about connection.
How I Want to Be Remembered
In the obituary, I wrote that I hoped to be remembered for my impact, not just through my work, but through the way I made others feel.
This future version of me is defined by intention, ambition, authenticity, and detail. She turns ideas into experiences and moments into stories. Her legacy lives through images, narratives, and the belief she instilled in others: that genuine originality can change everything.
Writing this out clarified that I want to lead with purpose , not pressure. Meaning, not perfection.
What This Exercise Taught Me
More than anything, writing this obituary reminded me of:
the kind of person I want to become
the work I want to be known for
the values I want guiding my choices
the community I want to build through creativity
the impact I want my life to have
It helped me see my career path not as a series of tasks or internships, but as a long-term trajectory toward purpose, authenticity, and emotional connection.
This exercise wasn’t about predicting the future. It was about choosing the kind of future I want to move toward.
If you’ve never written your own obituary, try it.
It’s not about imagining the end, it’s about clarifying what you want your life to stand for. Sometimes the clearest vision comes from looking forward through the lens of legacy.
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