This year, especially, I’ve been reflecting on this. I must admit, I’ve never really thought about it before—what legacy? I always thought, “I just do what I do, hopefully what I enjoy doing. Why should I care about some legacy?” I’m sure that sounds familiar to many of you. 🙂

But this year, I started to think about what I’m actually leaving behind. I don’t have millions in my bank account to pass on to my kids or donate to charity. And it has always been about something bigger than just money or property for me. I did think about starting a business for my kids—designing custom names on horse equipment, since they’re into horses. But for me, it would mean taking on another responsibility, and since they’re still young, I’m not sure they’ll care about it later. Even now, the one who’s 11, who used to be all about horses, now wants to try motorsport. (Yes, that’s she,) I really want to support their different interests, but first, I need to get myself on solid ground.

So, what would my legacy be? For a long time, I’ve had a desire to do something meaningful, something more impactful. The question remains: How can I, as one person, do the most good? I used to think it might involve some big event or design project, and I’m not saying that idea is completely off the table. But when I tried to reach people, to put it more out there in the media, in different forms, I kind of hit a wall. It can get pretty maddening when I have great ideas and feel guided to take steps, but things just don’t seem to flow.

I am a big believer that all our desires, all the nudges and signs we get, are meant for us to follow. But maybe I’m ahead of my time, and yes, I’m impatient. But why should I have to wait? I’ve been on survival mode for years, and I don’t want to wait. I want it now. It feels like I’m already overdue. But okay, let’s take a step back and look at the action I’ve taken so far to build a foundation. That way, I can later say, “Hey, yes, I sent you several emails and you never replied, but it’s sooo good to hear from you now.” Just a little sarcasm there. LOL

So, just delays, not a rejection. But it does make me wonder, if one path is closed, what’s the next one? As I’ve been discovering other talents this year, I didn’t expect to think, Maybe this is it. When I wrote my book, I really felt like I was pushed to do it. And when I finished it, I thought, Okay, now what? I took a day to celebrate, or at least I tried to. But I don’t think I’ve fully processed the accomplishment yet. Yes, I’ll definitely shout it out soon, so be patient. I’m just waiting on some reviews before I officially announce it. But that too took a lot of courage. It’s one thing to share a personal story with strangers, but it’s a whole different thing to share it with people who know me. The book is about my life experiences—things I’ve never shared with anyone before. But isn’t growth just about that- pushing past that fear? Feeling scared and doing it anyway? We only live once, so why not show who we truly are?

I believe the boldness to show our true selves and share our experiences is the best legacy I can leave to the world—and to my kids. It’s not about protecting them from hardship or pain; it’s about showing them that this too is part of life. And when they’re old enough to understand, they’ll get a copy of my book, signed by me. So this is my legacy: helping others navigate life’s hardships and create those impactful, amazing events. Experiences that bring people joy, things that make a lasting impression on all the senses. Giving people great memories to hold onto is a powerful way to balance the hardships of life.

Life will always have contrasts, but if we make the good experiences outweigh the bad ones, then we can look at the bad ones as a reminder to appreciate the good ones better. A few years ago, I had a thought about maybe adding one sentence to my body: “This too will pass.” It carries two messages. When encountering hardships in your life, you can remind yourself that this too will pass… and it always will. But it also reminds us that when you do have something good in your life, you should really be in that moment, truly cherishing and appreciating what you have now, because this too will pass.

So whatever you’re experiencing right now, I want to tell you: This too will pass.