“None of us will live forever”. In November 2021, our now dearly departed HRH Queen Elizabeth urged world leaders to rise above politics and address the impact of climate change. How sad and a little ironic that within one year of voicing those words, she is no longer here. Paying tribute to the Queen, her granddaughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie in their statement included “we, like many, thought you’d be here forever” and we all miss you terribly. Queen Elizabeth’s legacy to the world will live on forever.
“we, like many, thought you’d be here forever”
The reality is most of us think that we, or our partners, children, family, friends are immortal. But what if one day they are not there? Or you are not here? It’s not something we generally like to talk about because it can be uncomfortable and of course it feels like it’s out of our hands.
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary examples of legacy in a sentence are:
She left us a legacy of a million dollars.
He left his children a legacy of love and respect.
The war left a legacy of pain and suffering.
Her artistic legacy lives on through her children.
If you are brave enough, think about what your legacy will be, what will it look like if someone was reading a Eulogy about your life today?
Life is, as those of us who are old enough to remember the Carole King song, a Tapestry. A mix of threads, woven together to create a picture of events, moments, stories – some good, some bad, some happy, some sad. Whatever picture is woven – it is your picture, with a single thread that ties them all together. Your legacy started the day you were born and has been woven every day of your life.
When you take time to think of how your legacy may be summed up today, it may focus you on how you would like it to look in the future. You can’t erase the threads of the tapestry that’s been woven to date, but you can live with intention and create the picture you would like for the future.
Ignite your legacy and live with intention
Where do you start?
Here are a few questions to help you get some focus around your thoughts – remember, this is your legacy – it’s what feels right for you.
What are your core values?
Your key guiding principles, the foundations of your belief system that serve as “filters” in your decision making as you go through life.
What is your purpose?
What gets you out of bed in the morning and fills you with energy?
Where do you want to be and what do you want to do?
Figure out what drives you. Otherwise, you are just aimlessly heading nowhere.
Are you being you?
Be authentic! Be genuine! Be you!
Play to your strengths and accept your weaknesses – it’s ok to be vulnerable!
Be grateful!
Have gratitude for everything the Universe brings you -even the negative. Believe that negatives are leading you to better things.
Get rid of self-limiting beliefs as you can do whatever you set your mind to do.
Believe
If you believe you can, you can!
If you believe you can’t, you can’t!
So why would you choose a negative!
Our legacy will be how we interacted and influenced others through acts of thoughtfulness, kindness, and positivity.
Don’t leave words of kindness or love unsaid!
Don’t be busy being busy and fail to see the needs of those close to you!
Be positive and live a life of gratitude. Positivity and gratitude are infectious.
Share those feelings with others.
Leave a legacy of kindness and live with intention.
Why wait!