I heard someone say, “The men may be gone but the brands still exist,” and it got me thinking about legacy.  It got me thinking about what it means to be intentional about what we want to leave behind.  Questioning what’s important to leave behind. We prioritize different things based on culture, values, and beliefs so that answer changes depending on those factors.  They also change depending on the type of legacy we want to leave.  Are we leaving a legacy in name?  In fortune?  In ethics/values? In infamy? I lived exactly as my parents wanted me to, quiet, in the background, compliant, amenable. I was quick witted and snappy and able to reply but I was to keep myself open and available for anything they may need.  When we leave ourselves open for everyone to use us as they see fit, we lose ourselves.  When we build contingencies for other people’s emergencies into our day, we are overly available and saying that we are open for everyone’s business but our own.  We can’t be so busy helping people make a mark that we erase ourselves in the process.

When we start living for ourselves we operate differently.  We aren’t jumping to reply as quickly as possible to everyone’s messages or demands.  We take our time as we see fit.  We have confidence in the belief that everything happens in its own time and that what is meant for us will come to us.  We finish the workout, we finish the thought, we complete the task we are invested in rather than allowing something else to interrupt us.  We aren’t jumping to meet other people’s requirements and drop what we are doing to appease them.  There’s an assurance in the worth of our actions and we function with purpose.  OUR purpose.  The reason we know people’s names is a result of their actions and the impact/mark they had on society.  Einstein, Freud, MLK, Mandela, Tesla and even including Robin Williams etc. etc.  The reason we know these people is because they did what they did well.  They were real and action aligned with intent to produce beautiful works of art and revolutionary breakthroughs and talent. 

When we give others the power to control our days, we are giving up our autonomy.  I’m not saying some scheduling isn’t necessary or that we disregard people’s needs, I’m saying when the automatic thought is how to rearrange what we want to do around what the other person wants to do or needs done, we make the pieces that make up who we are weak.  We’re trained to give control of our lives to others whether it’s working a 9-5 or bending to meet someone else’s needs and we’re trained to think that’s normal.  It is not normal to let someone else dictate our days.  We are meant to be autonomous, creative, authentic, unique beings who leave a legacy of support and instinct for the next generations to do the same.  Our mark very well may be in helping people and there is something to be said about finding contentment where we are—peace and contentment for all really is the goal.  The best way to do this is to stop overthinking where we’re going or what comes next or what happened before and simply live where we are right now, fully aware and connected in the moment.  So whether we’re designing clothes, writing books, teaching, or saving lives, we all have an impact—our brand will always exist if live with purpose because there is nothing like the legacy of living and loving a life well.