As you can see from the name of my website, I desire to help people live their lives now in light of what a legacy for themselves looks like. The last blog gave an overview of what I am getting into coaching and a bit about what legacy means. My desire is to help you along the way and provide some thoughts, encouragement, and even some tools to help you figure out what a legacy means for you and how you can live it right now! Let’s review a bit.
In the last blog post I defined Legacy. Dictonary.com defines legacy as 1. Law, a gift of property, especially personal property, as money, by will; a bequest. And 2. Anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor. As I have contemplated this, I don’t feel that it is something that is an event, but it is something that is living and active right now as you and I live our lives. In the research that I have done, I came across an article by Susan V. Bosak of the Legacy Project. On her web site the opening sentence of the article titled “What is Legacy?” hit me. She writes, “Legacy is about life and living. It’s about learning from the, living in the present, and building for the future.” This defines how I want to live my life and to see that others do the same.
Legacy is first about learning from the past. I would say that I have lived a full life. I have done many things and enjoyed my life. My past experiences began with being a paper boy. Those early mornings were not always pleasant. I have worked in fast food, retail, I was in the radio business and been a tradesman as a plumber. I worked in management in different organizations and was the director of a camp ministry. I have worked in both for profit businesses and in not for profit organizations. Some good and some not so good. I can say with confidence though that every experience has brought me to the place that I am today, and I have taken from each experience things that I can use to pass on to others to help them be who God has designed them to be.
Let’s get real now. I want to be transparent to let you know that I have not always done the right things and or been a perfect person. For a good part of my life I was very selfish and lived the way I wanted. I have not always treated my family well and know that I have struggled with anger. I have held grudges and been mean to people who did not always think like I did. I say that to let you know that I am not perfect and have issues that I am still working on. This blog is not to make you feel less but to let you know that we are in this together. God continues to work on me and to grow and to stretch me. I desire to live my life in a way that would honor God and would be lived with a servant heart.
In the past few months God has been speaking to me and convicting me of some things that I have not always been aware of. I know that God has a design for your life as well but one of the things we need to do is come to terms with our past. The challenge with many people is that they live in the past and cannot get past their mistakes. Fortunately, we cannot change the past but by coming to terms with it we can make amends with it and learn from our experiences. Everyone has done things and said things that they cannot change. What you do with them and how you move past is what is important. Next week we will look at courage. I would like to know what your story is and how you have come to terms with your past.
To learn more about your legacy and how you can live that out today email me at tlslegacycoaching@gmail.com or click the link here to set up a complimentary coaching consultation. Let’s develop your Legacy together!