building a legacy

I am pretty lucky. Yesterday was Father's Day, my daughters and I started the morning by making breakfast for my husband, celebrating the extraordinary father he is to our two girls. I was able to spend with my Dad with whom I have a wonderful relationship. We even managed to squeeze in a quick visit with my father-in-law (who was away for the weekend) a man I deeply admire and feel blessed to have in my life.

I recognize that I am fortunate because I'm acutely aware that Father's Day is hard for many people. Some have lost their fathers. Others navigate estranged or difficult relationships. Many never knew their fathers at all. There are countless reasons why Father's Day can be emotionally difficult, which makes every year I can celebrate it feel like a profound gift.

Why Legacy Matters

People often ask me why I focus on legacy in my coaching practice. Days like Father's Day make this question remarkably easy to answer. When you think about your father, or anyone you love deeply, and consider the legacy they've created, what words come to mind?

When I reflect on my dad, I think immediately of his strength and resilience. He is selfless and unassuming, never seeking recognition for his sacrifices (unless to take the piss out of my brother and I). Together with my mother, he worked hard to create a safe and abundant life for us. Perhaps most importantly, they broke cycles of generational trauma, ensuring that patterns of abuse ingrained in their family lines stopped with them. We grew up differently because of their courage and commitment.

When I think about my dad today, I see a man whose unconditional love would move mountains for his children. It is the same love I now witness when he looks at my children.

This kind of profound, transformative legacy doesn't happen by accident.

Legacy is Built Daily

Building a meaningful legacy requires intentional effort over time. This isn't something my dad could have started thinking about in his retirement years. Without even consciously planning it, he has been crafting his legacy throughout my entire life, through countless daily decisions and actions.

This is the crucial insight many people miss: legacy doesn't begin at the end of your life. It emerges from the decisions—both intentional and unconscious—that you make along the way, shaping how you'll be remembered and the impact you'll have on future generations. The real question becomes: how much of it are you willing to leave to chance?

The Financial Foundation

Certainly, there are important very financial considerations to address when thinking about legacy. That is its own article entirely!

But certainly, you want to plan for investments that will sustain your retirement years, consider the travel and experiences you want to enjoy, think about gifts you might leave to family members, and decide on charitable donations that reflect your values. All of these elements require careful planning and forethought.

However, legacy encompasses far more than monetary considerations.

Beyond Money: The Heart of Legacy

True legacy lives in the memories you create today. It's about embracing fun and spontaneity, living fully in the present moment, and yes, taking that trip you've been postponing. These experiences become the stories that outlive us.

Legacy also involves deliberately sharing your values, your personal stories, and your family history with the next generation. This transmission can take many forms, and I'm excited to see innovative companies helping families capture and preserve these precious elements. Canadian startups like LegacyNex and Amori are doing incredible work in this space, creating platforms for families to document and share their stories in meaningful ways.

The Legacy Blueprint Experience

When I guided my parents through my Legacy Blueprint program, we began having deeper conversations about how they wanted to be remembered and what they hoped to leave behind. While I believed they'd already created an extraordinary legacy for me and my children, they discovered they still had more they wanted to accomplish.

The experience proved eye-opening for them. They expressed gratitude not only for gaining clarity about their goals but also for learning how to prioritize where they wanted to invest their remaining time and energy. The results weren't surprising: grandchildren and travel topped their list, reflecting the values and relationships that matter most to them.

Your Legacy Starts Now

I encourage you to consider your own legacy. What do you want to be remembered for? What values do you want to pass down? What experiences do you want to create with the people you love?

On June 24, I will be hosting a free workshop that will provide you with an overview of what you can do to start your planning now.

Remember, you don't need to wait for retirement or some distant future to begin building your legacy. Every day presents opportunities to make choices that align with the person you want to be remembered as. The question isn't whether you'll leave a legacy—you will. The question is whether you'll be intentional about shaping it.

Your legacy is being written right now, in this moment, through your actions, your relationships, and your choices. Make it count.