5 Simple ways To Start Leaving a Legacy Today

First of all, I need you to know that I can not take credit for this blog post idea.

A few weeks ago I asked on Instagram what you’d like to hear more about, and my dear friend Jenny gave me this idea as she said it’s something they talk about at work.

Naturally it got me thinking: What am I doing today that’s leaving a legacy for the next generation? Am I doing anything? I mean, to be honest, I mostly just feel like I’m trying to survive the day to day and I’m not putting that much thought into the future.

So, I took this idea and did some researching and asked myself some questions. What can we do now to start leaving an impact on the people around us? How do we want to make people feel? Here’s what I came up with:

1. Speak life and kindness to those around you.

I hope you know, dear friend, that what I write about isn’t usually something I’m good at, but rather something I’m learning. This point right here is the PERFECT example because I most definitely don’t always get this whole “speaking life and kindness” thing right!

I’m finding this goes even deeper than the words we use. I think Maya Angelou said it best: “At the end of the day, people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” So even if I’m speaking kindly, what’s my tone like? What body language am I giving off?

How you and I talk to those around us and how we treat our people really matters. I’m seeing how important this is, not just when it comes to leaving a legacy, but in the downright day to day business of life.

2. Invest time in a passion.

I had an interesting conversation (or at at least this is one of many life-giving conversations) with my younger sister this weekend about how God made us to be creative.

I’m not sure what that looks like for you, but let me encourage you to find some time to do something fun, creative, and uplifting for YOU that sets your soul on fire. For one, it will improve your mood, and for two, your kids will see the example you set that it’s ok to take some time to do something for the pure fact of ENJOYMENT.

Sometimes I think “hobbies” are a little lost in this modern age. Not only are we feeling busier than ever, but when free time actually happens upon us, there are SO MANY THINGS we can do instead of investing time into something creative. Don’t be afraid to try something new and see where it leads you!

3. Open your home.

I love to host, but I’ll be honest with ya: My house is a cracker box and there’s hardly room to move in our “two butt kitchen” (as in, only two butt’s can fit in it at one time.) It. Drives. Me. CRAZY. I bothers me that we can’t have more people over and that we don’t have much room to entertain!

Even though the “two butt kitchen” is our current situation, I’ll tell you that my mother in law is just the absolute best hostess, and I try to pick up as many tips as I can from her when I’m there. From the moment you walk through the front doors, the house is warm and cozy and inviting. Coffee is a click of a button away and there’s always time to chat. I just love it.

And I want it to be the way I make others feel when they come over to visit, too. (Even in my tiny kitchen.) My mother in law is already passing this legacy on to me, and I hope and pray that I can pass it forward to the next generation.

So if you’re working toward leaving a legacy, my best advice is to open your doors. Invite people in. Make time to chat. (And always have coffee on hand. Obviously. 😉)

4. Apologize often and practice giving grace.

UG. Another thing I’m not good at. This one makes me uncomfortable. I don’t want to admit it when I’m wrong! And does anyone, really?

But this doesn’t change the fact that apologizing early and often, and giving people grace, even when they don’t necessarily deserve it (especially when they don’t deserve it!) says so much about our character.

Plus, I don’t want to drop anther truth bomb here to make this point even more uncomfortable, but it’s really what God does for us and asks us to do for others. I know, right? Doesn’t make it any easier does it? But I truly believe people will remember us for something like this. They’ll remember how we offered grace and did something bigger than ourselves. And that’s really what leaving a legacy is all about.

So we’ll suck it up and work on this one together, ok?

5. Show up in the small things.

Sometimes I think we get carried away in thinking about the BIG things. BIG and grand gestures. BIG acts of kindness. BIG projects.

But in this season of motherhood, here’s the thing I’m really discovering: small acts matter. The voice you use when you’re talking to your toddler matters. The dinner you make for your family matters. The way we act when we clean up said dinner matters. All of the little things matter.

So maybe the best place to start is within the 4 walls in your own home. Start with your family and showing up in the day to day boring old STUFF with a joyful heart. Start with more hugs. Start with more movie nights together. Start with trying to be more present (even if you’re not great at it yet.🙋‍♀️)

Some of the small things may seem mundane and unimportant, but I think they’re honestly the things our kids remember the most.

Wrapping Up.

These are 5 things I came up with, but I’d love to hear about how you define leaving a legacy. Let’s start a conversation in the comments below!