As a life coach, I find that different time periods and cultural events seem to affect people in similar ways.
For example, during the recession, guess what most people discussed with me during our sessions?
Currently, I find that the topic of legacy has been popular—most specifically the recognition that material possessions are no longer providing us with the same meaning that they have in the past.
In fact, I notice that the value we put on personal relationships is in direct proportion to how poor the economy is doing, so the past several years have been an incredible boon to human interaction, quality relationship development, and appreciation for our friends, family, and neighbors. Is it possible we should thank the banks for writing all those bad loans? Lemons to lemonade, as they say!
The Problem With Legacy
Despite the fact that we as a culture are finding deeper meaning in our relationships, our values haven’t entirely caught up with them, which is creating a new type of anxiety: “If not an empire of cars, homes, job titles, and stock portfolios, what will be left of me for others to remember when I die? How will I be remembered?”
Related: 5 Things People With Anxiety Are Tired Of Hearing
Well, if the Egyptian culture was any lesson to us, even the kings couldn’t take their trinkets with them. Neither will our highest grossing CEOs, and neither will you.
In fact, having coached many CEOs, I also find that there is a correlation between the amount of time they spend at work and the psychological stability of their children. This should come as a surprise to no one, but those workaholics that built their careers often neglected their kids, and no amount of money can pay to repair the emotional and psychological damage that occurs because of absentee parents.
What it often pays for, however, is the life coaching sessions with me to try and make sense of it for them.
No one wants to leave a broken family behind, nor neglected friends. When was the last time you saw a person’s Bentley drop a rose on top of the coffin of its owner at a funeral?
The Real Meaning Of Life
The great news is that we’re recognizing this earlier and earlier, almost to the point where younger adults are taking preemptive measures to ensure they curate their lives to prioritize relationships over materialism, leaving room in their lives to redefine what it means to live a meaningful life, and in turn, a meaningful death.
Related: Want To Have The Best Memories Of Your Life? Then Put Down The Camera.
By shifting our perspective on economics, we’re beginning to rediscover that money should be working for us, not the other way around.
For example, smaller, affordable cars means bigger wallets, and what are we spending their money on? Quality experiences! Passport applications have increased dramatically over the past ten years, and are continuing to rise. Travel to foreign countries with friends and families create tighter bonds and valuable memories.
When you walk along the beach, do you remember any particular grain of sand? Do you even remember the slightly larger pebbles? We’re all grains of sand on the beach of history, equal to one another by the sheer magnitude of our insignificance.
The Takeaway
As we all grow older, let’s appreciate the fact that we’re on the beach at all, and make the most of our time here and now, polished and bright, so the light reflected upon us contributes to the beautiful paradise that we’re all a part of.
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Life counselor Lisa Haisha, M.A., is showing women, men, and couples how to “show up” in their own lives personally through SoulBlazing, a therapeutic process she created using her Impostor Model™. Lisa is host of The Legacy Series with Lisa Haisha and Unmade Beds, a trusted guest expert on radio and television shows, and is author of an upcoming book, SoulBlazing: Melt Away Your Fears, Create Your Legacy, Live a Life that Matters. Her observations can also be found in publications including The Huffington Post, My LA Lifestyle magazine, and Women Who Run It.
Photo by angela7dreams