What’s it all About Alfie? - Your Loving, Living Legacy.

Often when we think about a legacy, it's something that is left behind after a person has passed. The idea of the living and loving legacy has the power to spur you on to live a mindful and proactive life.

Inherently, individuals have a desire to leave something special behind to mark the value and purpose of their life. Not just a bequest to a cause, but rather a combination of a life of dedication and focus that results in a ripple effect that positively impacts society, whether in the community, globally or in the family. This gives purpose, passion and meaning to your life.
A definition of a legacy is someone’s lasting contribution to the world, to society or their family. It may include money, but in many cases, it's more of a by-product of an individual's life. Your legacy is a result of what you have focused on in your life, and is the expression (in terms of action) of your primary message. For example, Gandhi said, 'Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind'. He could have just said it, but done nothing. The legacy he left was a direct result of his acting on this message in a real, tangible way.

Why is it important?A well affirmed legacy can be empowering. It is something SO big, it pulls you forward. It provides an opportunity to make a lasting impact on many levels. It is a result of a purposeful life, focused on taking action around your values, passion, mission, and vision. It provides a sense of deep meaning and can be a catalyst for positive, long term change that continues beyond your lifetime. What happens when you commit to a way of Being is that:
*Your actions have greater meaning to you.
*You are empowered and inspired to live life with purpose and passion.
*There is less struggle and more enjoyment in your life.
*You can make a lasting impact in the world on a micro and/or macro level with ease.
*You move beyond the need to perform and do what is comfortable and do your great work.

Here are some examples of living and loving legacies: “I want to be remembered for being kind.” “I want to live life with gusto and pizzazz.” “I want my children to know that they are and will always be loved for them selves even when I need to say no.” “I want to know that I helped hundreds live a better healthier life.” “I want to create the possibility that everyone in the world will have sustainable housing."

Where do you start?
Take some time to Listen to your Heart as you mull over the inquiry "What is the legacy I want to create?" “I”being the operative word. “How do I want to BE in this world?”

From the foundation of your core values, passions, gifts, talents you are then able to ask the Big Questions:
What is my vision? What would I like to be remembered for?
What dream do I have that I could surrender to that would be the type of legacy I would be living and /or leaving? At this point, another important and critical question to ask is, "Does the thought of a legacy empower me or overwhelm (scare) me?

Intentioning a living legacy can bring out the best of your authentic self. Going through this activity can touch deep into your soul and takes courage. Keeping your core key values in sight keeps your life journey on track. Have fun with determining what your living legacy looks like. At your 100th birthday, for what will you be honored?

Making Decisions Part II: – Aligning with Core Values and Passions

In last month’s feature article, making decisions based on intuition and fear was discussed. To review, fear is not the optimal decision making situation unless you are in a life and death situation. Fear promotes scarcity and a contracting within so looking at a situation from different perspectives and being open to other possibilities is almost impossible. When using your intuition as a guide, you open yourself up to receive and embrace the Yes of a deeper wisdom and the abundance of possibilities. The important piece in this is to tune into what your body is telling you and trust in its knowledge. A request was made for you to take some time to be aware of where you were making decisions from-intuition or fear.

What did you learn about yourself in making decisions?

This month we’ll look at decision making from the viewpoint of how in alignment a decision is with your core values and passions.

My client Peter (named changed for privacy) had a dilemma. He was working for a small business that was incongruent with his values. He tried to "fit" in and was miserable. What did he do? In a coaching session, he reconnected with his core values and committed to looking for other companies that would match what was important to him. Eventually, he interviewed and accepted a position in a company that not only was a better match but the owner has provided many opportunities for growth and experience that will prepare Peter for owning his own green development company. Peter made a decision that is in alignment with his values and passions.

Aligning with Core Values

In the journey of life, as spiritual beings having a very human experience, having guideposts, a GPS or a North Star is critical to the degree you live a life of fulfillment and satisfaction. Webster’s definition of values is something “intrinsically valuable or desirable… that which belongs to the essential nature or constitution of a thing.” Your values are innate, you are your values. These are not “shoulds”; values are not morals or someone else’s idea of what’s important. Discovering your 5-6 core values gives you clarity in decision making. Values are intangible. For example, someone may value their home which is tangible. If you go deeper, the essence of having a home may include “security”, “comfort”, “grounded”, “success”, “beauty” or another intangible that a home has for them.

What qualities or values do you hold most important? Make a list of what you value most. One way to do this is to think of 3 people you admire and list the qualities that attract you to them. Go through this discovery process by refining the list to 5-6 core values. Keep in mind that you are all your values and these 5-6 are your strongest filters and guideposts in making decisions.

Aligning with your Passions

What do you want your life to look like? What do you want to be, do or have to create your ideal life? There are only 3 reasons that stop you from living a life aligned with your passions:
· False ideas
· False concepts
· False beliefs

As with the core values, make a list of all the things that you want to either be, do or have in this human experience. Refine that list to your top 5 passions. Passion comes from the heart, not the head.

Let’s go back to my client Peter. Peter made a transition into a higher paying position with mentoring benefits because he looked at the company’s values statement and asked questions that would help him determine if this employment opportunity was aligned with his values. Now, one of Peter’s passions is to create economically green housing for people on a global level. Even though this company was not in green development, the owner was open to facilitating and transitioning into this area. Plus he created opportunities for Peter to gain the necessary ground level experience required to own a green development and construction company. So Peter’s decision to accept this position was not only in alignment with his values but was also one of his top 5 passions. The bottom line is that Peter was living the life of his dreams feeling fulfilled, purposeful and in love with his life.

When you make decisions that come from the heart and the soul free of circumstance and all other influences there is a rightness, a centering and an internal knowing that the universe will conspire to fill your order although it may not look just exactly like you thought.

Discovering your core values and passions are integral parts of the Listening to the Voice of Your Soul process in the Conscious Living Connection Passion, Purpose & Prosperity Coaching Programs. To learn more or schedule a complimentary Get Acquainted Activation conversation contact me at colleen@consciouslivingconnection.com

Next Month: Making Decisions Part III: Life Purpose & Inner Guidance System

Much Joy,

Colleen

A Good time Was had By All!!

That's me at my live Discover & Connect with Your Passions-the Effortless Path to Living Your Life Purpose Seminar held this past Saturday. We all had a great and challenging time uncovering what we were most passionate about. During the 3 hour seminar, the participants unlocked their top 5 passions and crafted markers to align themselves along the way.
As one participant said,"This is challenging". There were some AhAh moments. The results were clarity on what to focus our time,
energy and resources.

Yesterday marked the first interview in the 2008 Fall Consciously Living Green Teleseminar and Interview Series with Lindianne Sarno of the Sonoran Kitchen Gardens speaking on The Best in Things in Life Are Green. Below are some resources Lindianne shared along with her Starter Kit of Ideas to begin living more consciously green. Were you on the call or did you register to receive the audio? It was awesome. I took 4 pages of notes.

The Humanure Handbook, by Joseph Jenkins ( yes , you read this correctly)
Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands, by Brad Lancaster’s
Read Little House on a Small Planet, by Shay Solomon
Permaculture, by Bill Mollison
Gaia’s Garden
A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, by Toby Hemenway

You'll want to register for the next upcoming interview with Marianna Olszewski of Madison Financial Management,LLc on financial planning for now and the future. If you can't be there in person, that's okay. You do need to register to receive the audio of the interview. What's your money story? Watch for the announcements!

Time to get up and stretch.

Joyful blessings,

Colleen

Stuck? Overwhelmed? don't know where to start? Bring your biggest "I want to ___." challenge to a complimentary Get Acquainted Activation conversation to see what we can co-create what matters most to you.Schedule by e-mailing colleen@consciouslivingconnection.com

Colleen Crook is a Life & Leadership coach and owner and founder of Conscious Living Connection providing coaching/mentoring for forward thinking individuals and groups who want to create what matters most by connecting them with their passion and inherent creativity through the Consciously Living with Passion Purpose and Prosperity Success Program. Colleen is also known as the Passions to Action Mentor. www.consciouslivingconnection.com Sign up for your Fr^ee Create What Matters Most gift bundle.