What legacy are you planning on leaving behind?

Hello. My name is Angelina, and I am interested in designing a legacy that will live on long after I'm gone.

My biggest concern is that I will have failed in completing the vision I have in mind, in the strength of an idea, or that the beneficiaries of my legacy plan will feel like they forgotten. While I am being discreet about my legacy plan, I do want my beneficiaries to know that I did make my best efforts in caring about those whom become invisible in society. What ideas do you have for the vision and mission of your legacy plan, in addition to the principles and values that get honored in the process?

That's why I've decided to start blogging more about my experiences with this word, legacy, as well as what I have learned from clients since 2014 (the start of my coaching and advisory practice). It will give me an opportunity to reflect on my life and what it means to be brave enough to define what matters compared to having my priorities out of order. Plus, it will give my others something to read when they're seeking inspiration and structure on how they might go about designing their own legacy plans!

What is your legacy? That's the question I've been asking myself in the last decade that had me changed careers from that of a commercial real estate broker to that of a legacy advisor. I've always had one foot in front of the other (as a Penn State graduate at age 20); I never stopped to think about what would happen when all was said and done until an inciting event that woke me up a decade ago. As we grow, if we choose to evolve with each passing year, our time here on Earth becomes our most valuable asset to create that what it is we want to design in personal agency to our specifications. Type A personality, eh? And it makes me wonder: What will God, or those who opinions I care about, say about me when I'm gone?

When I die, will people remember me as someone who made a difference in their lives or with those who needed it the most in society? Or will they just remember me as another face in the crowd or consumer who found her identity in what she bought re: image and conformity?

These are hard questions to ask yourself, but they're important ones. We all want to leave behind some kind of legacy—something that proves we were here and made a positive difference, if even just for our soul’s sake or peace of mind. Here are some ideas for how you can do just that:

- Tell your story (what would you change if you had a year, month or day left?);

- Make an impact on others' lives, at least an influence (what is your heart’s desire in giving?)

- Leave something behind that will continue your work, and values, after you're gone Again, what is your legacy? It's a question we don't often ask ourselves, but one that deserves thought and consideration. We are all here for such a short time, so why not make the most of it?

Let's start thinking about what we want our legacies to be!

One way you can start thinking about this is by looking at how people remember other people in inspiration or as positive role models, whether it is throughout history or today. What do you, or they, remember them for? What kind of person did they think this soul was, that had them take necessary actions of follow through in their life’s circumstances? Those are some great questions to ask yourself as you think about what you want your legacy to be like. What kind of person do you want others, or a higher power, to remember you as being?

Another thing that might help you think about what kind of legacy you want to design, starting today, is thinking about what kinds of things mattered most to you in what brought you fulfillment and deep satisfaction. Were there certain causes or organizations that really meant something to you? Or maybe there were specific values or ideas that are important to you—things like honesty, bravery, compassion, freedom ... the list goes on! Think about what those things mean to you, and then think about how you can incorporate them into your life starting today in order to design a meaningful legacy.