I often ask my clients, "What do you want your legacy to be?" and it never fails to be a tricky one to answer. They chew on it for awhile - months even. It can be ambiguous and overwhelming to envision the final story of one's life, to discover and decide how we want to impact the world or the lives around us and the experience we want to have as human beings. I imagine it similar to the sensation I get when I finish a really good book - that long-lasting impression the story has on me and I'm already missing the characters. How do we do that with our own lives? How do we leave an impression that we are proud of and feel at peace with?
While it can be hard to imagine the essence of our story, I believe it can be broken down into 3 actionable themes:
VALUES
PURPOSE
COURAGE
VALUES are the bits of life that are deeply and personally important to us. We each have a long list of values that come and go in matter of importance depending on where we are in the spectrum of life and what's happening as part of our story. It's how we practice living in these values from moment to moment that stack up and create part of our legacy.
Values Exercise: List out your personal values and choose 3 that you want to bring to the forefront of your life each day over the next week. Write them on a post it or use as a background on your phone - whatever reminder you need to stay on point. Check in with yourself at the end of the day: (1) How well did I do around living in my values today? (2) Where/How can I do better tomorrow?
PURPOSE is your WHY. Why do you exist? What is it that you want to commit to? What moves you forward and feels like it's weaved into the fiber of who you are? If you are at a loss at what your purpose is try out the exercise below.
Purpose Exercise: Over the next week, identify and keep a list of interactions or activities that drained you and the ones that brought you joy. What themes do you notice? How can you use those themes to create a statement of purpose that includes bringing more joy to your life and is in service of others?
COURAGE is what it takes to live in your values and purpose every day, period. There will be times when your inner critic will talk you out of it. The voice in your head that says you're being selfish or not living up to others expectations, or that you simply can't. This inner critic is meant to keep you "safe". I'm here to tell you that you can do the thing, be the person, live that life wherever your heart desires to live it. Once you know deeply who you in this season of your life, and what your reason for breathing is, all you need to do is have the audacity to move forward and live it.
Courage Exercise: Make a bold choice today to move closer to a life that you deeply want to live. Make another one tomorrow...
I'm here as your coach to support you, whether you want to gain more clarity around what your values are and how to live by them, defining your unique purpose in this story, or finding the courage to make it happen. Book an Introduction to Coaching Session and take that first step in living life ON PURPOSE.