I’ve always found the beginning of a new calendar year a time of reflection and re-envisioning. Yes, we have to pay the bills, put food on the table and keep a roof overhead, but far too often, what we, as a culture, value or hold in high esteem is meaningless. While social comparisons and pressures keep us chasing, reaching and striving; too often, they prevent us from hitting our stride and getting into the rhythm of living intentionally.
What will our legacy be? Since my brush with eternity, I’ve asked myself this question countless times—especially those times when the emotional mind gets spinning and the brain train leaves the station. Ultimately, legacy is about a life lived with meaning and purpose. The recipe is that simple. But as any chef or coach knows: easy to say, but hard to do. Still, we must keep asking ourselves this question. If enough of us do so, perhaps we will see more substance, compassion, and empathy. Perhaps we will see more people thriving than striving and more people striding than reaching.
We all want to live a life that matters. This doesn’t happen by accident or by following cultural norms, it happens by living and loving vulnerably, intentionally and from the heart. It’s not a place we get to. It’s a process we practice.
With nothin’ but love,
Michael W. Leach