Sometimes we get so busy with life that we fail to imagine how people will remember us after we are gone. That's not exactly a pleasant thought, but it is important to think about. Too often, we are experts at assessing other people but cannot really evaluate ourselves properly. How will people remember you?

A lot of time is wasted thinking we are going to be here on this planet forever. Because we have the illusion of eternity when it comes to our lives, we put off doing good and useful things, fixing up broken relationships and developing ourselves in a good way. All this is done in the name of having fun or thinking that doing these good things would be boring.

How much time do you sit watching TV and videos or playing computer games? How much time do you spend with your family? How much time do you spend trying to develop yourself? How much time do you spend just thinking and pondering over the meaning of your own life?

If you don't know or don't really care about the answers to these questions, chances are you have a problem. People differ in so many ways; we look different, have different social economic situations, and come from different backgrounds. Yet, we all have one thing in common. We all have an allotted time on this earth and time is ticking away for each of us and driving us toward our final destination — the hereafter.

Since death and accountability are inescapable, it is logical that we prepare ourselves now and think about where we are heading in life. Perhaps a good place to start is to think about how people see us. When people see you coming, what goes through their minds? Do they see someone who is,

•  bossy

•  kind

•  hard working

•  a user

•  always ready to help

•  a pompous fool

What would you like to add to this list?

Be honest with yourself and think of the answer. Every heart knows itself if it is honest. Then if you come up with a negative or half and half conclusion, ask yourself the following questions:

• When is the last time you did something for someone else?

• When is the last time you made real, clear-cut goals for yourself?

• When is the last time you cried with a friend and shared someone else's joy or sorrow?

What do you do in your free time?

• Spend time with family and friends

• Watch TV

• Do volunteer work

• Help out at home

• Read books

• Useful things

• Useless things

Is there anything you would like to add?

Where are you heading in your life?

• I don't know.

• I don't care.

• I'm still making my goals — not sure.

• I am working step by step toward my goals.

• I keep changing my mind.

There is no easy way to find your life goals or to know yourself well enough to make those goals. But one thing is certain, the people around us, especially those who care about us, can act as a mirror to who we are, not who we think we are.

It might be an interesting exercise to get a group of your good friends together and pass out a piece of paper to each one. Write down the name of one of the people in your group on top of a piece of paper. In the end, every person in the group will have their name written on top of a piece of paper.

Then pass each paper (representing each person) to everyone in the group and ask them to write down how they see that person. Ask them to be honest but kind in how they say things. I am sure you will find a lot of interesting perceptions that will help each person to know themselves better. Then you can ask each person to write down on their paper how they see themselves.

By doing such activities it is hoped that each person will look for ways to put more quality activities into their lives.