What Building Your Legacy Really Looks Like
If you follow me on Instagram or are a part of my LinkedIn circle, you know that I’ve been sharing some behind the scenes of my personal life a little more lately.
The first two months of 2023 didn’t necessarily go as expected, so the way that I’ve been showing up has looked a lot different.
To give you some background that’s necessary for what you’re about to read, at the beginning of January my grandma’s health started declining and it became pretty clear that she wasn’t going to make it much longer.
She passed last week and I had the greatest honor of sharing a speech at her funeral. And that’s exactly what I want to share with you in this blog, because the speech I shared is so much more than just a speech for Janet (my grammy).
It’s something we all need to remember because it has everything to do with the legacy that you’re building and what you’ll ultimately leave behind one day.
When someone passes, we naturally start to think about the impact they’ve had and the things they’ll be remembered for. With that, I think the word legacy trips people up because we think it has to be this big position you held or a book you’ve written or a speech you’ve given or some huge milestone that you’ve achieved.
But honestly, legacy is more about the little things that make the most significant impact.
By definition, legacy is simply the long-lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past or of a person’s life.
Nowhere in that sentence does it say legacy is a certain title you held, an amount of money you had, a book you wrote or a speech you gave.
Legacy is simply the impact that you leave behind in this world, which means that we ALL are currently creating some sort of legacy, whether we realize it or not.
To help you see how this is true, I’m sharing three things with you that I’ll forever remember my grandma by (her legacy) and I hope you can see how none of these are earth shattering things. Instead they’re simply, everyday things that made a HUGE impact on me and my family.
- Dawn Soap
I know what you might be thinking… “you remember your grandma because of soap??”
Sounds silly I know, but YES! Dawn Soap was her absolute go to and she used it on anything.
Stain on our clothes? Dawn Soap. Washing your windows? Dawn Soap. Dirty dishes? Dawn Soap. Mopping the floors? Dawn Soap.
I’m not kidding. 😂
There’s nothing monumental about Dawn Soap, but now everytime I see that blue bottle, I’m reminded of Janet and her wisdom.
- Lyin’ Eyes by Eagles
The second thing I remember about my grandma is that she always used this line from one of my personal favorite Eagles songs and I’ve truly never used this line more in my adult life than when I’m having conversations with other friends and colleagues.
“Every part of refuge has its price to pay.”
Basically what that means is that no matter what kind of situation you’re in, there will always be a positive or negative side to it. You chose the side you want to see.
So when Janet would be in a situation trying to figure out what to do or maybe she was giving advice to me or one of my family members, she’d remind us of this.
In doing so, it never failed that she could find the positive side of things. She always looked at things matter of factly and didn't let her emotions or feelings get in the way of making decisions.
Which brings me to the third and final thing that I really remember her by…
- “It’s a good thing.”
Janet always found a way to find the positive notes in life. She would always say this line, “it's a good thing” regardless of what you came to her with.
It could be something small like adding sour cream to her broccoli for dinner (sounds weird, I know 😂) or something big like having babies or changing jobs.
It honestly didn’t matter what was going on, she always found a way to make it “a good thing”.
Can you see how the things I remember Janet by aren’t the things she accomplished in life or how much money she had or what kind of house she lived in? Instead they are the most simple things that left the largest impact on the lives of those around her.
My point in sharing this with you friend, is that every action, every decision and every word you speak on a daily basis is shaping the legacy that you’ll leave behind one day.
People will remember you by something and the cool part is that you have the ability to make sure you’re remembered by the things you want to be known for.
So my encouragement to you is this ⬇️
Don’t shy away from who you are. Speak up.
Share your thoughts. Encourage others.
Build belief in people. Compliment people.
Be a light. Spread positivity and kindness.
These simple things matter way more than you even realize!
And if you’re wondering how this ties into LinkedIn, well you can do every single one of those things on the platform. In fact, when you do, I can almost bet that you’ll build connections even faster because you are being you.
And at the end of the day, THAT is what matters most.
