a special feature from Kay Ziplow & Leslie Zinberg, founders

Let’s take a moment and celebrate our personal footprint and stories – never discounting the importance of who we are and where we came from, along with the details of our family history. Our generation should make every effort to pass along as much as we can to those younger than ourselves in the evolving generations. This is our legacy.

Learning about your family history is important and can reveal many surprising things that you may not know. It’s never too late to get started. If you want to take a deeper dive into your family lineage try signing up for something like Ancestry.com to take a look into your true family history, or simply talk with other members of your family and listen to their narration.

Our personal history is good for our soul and our personal well-being. Why, you ask? Here’s 5 good reasons:

1. It gives you a sense of identity
Nothing is more eye-opening than learning about who you are. Discovering more about your ancestors, celebrating family traditions, embracing your culture, and understanding where you came from can open your eyes to how beautiful and unique you are. It can also give your sense of self-worth and belonging a boost.

2. It makes you more resilient
Let’s face it, life is hard. But back in the day, life was even more so. More likely than not, your past family members probably faced terrible tragedies and heartache. They may have faced things that seem almost impossible to overcome. But they did overcome them. Learning about their stories and how they got through difficult times can give you the courage you need to keep going and make you more resilient when you’re facing challenges.

3. It helps you connect with others
Learning about your family history can impact the way you connect with others because it allows you to connect with people in the past, present, and future. And forming connections with others is crucial to a fulfilling life.

4. It makes you a better human
Your ancestors’ stories can shape you into a more grateful, happy, empathetic, and compassionate version of yourself. For example, you may discover that your great grandfather lived during the Great Depression and that he had to work hard to provide for his family, which may inspire you to work hard as well. Whatever stories are glistening in your treasury of family history, now is the time to unearth them.

5. It helps you make good health choices
Have you been filling out a patient history form before seeing your healthcare provider and your mind went blank when it asked if cancer, high blood pressure, or diabetes ran in your family? Well, to avoid leaving those blank spaces in the future, learning about your ancestors can give you a lot of information on what health concerns run in your family. More importantly, it shows you what you are at risk for. Knowing this information can help you make good choices regarding your health and help you lead a healthy lifestyle.