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The Power of Mindfulness in Holistic Legacy Planning

Finding the clarity to design a legacy that reflects the best of who you are and what you stand for.

In recent years, the practice of mindfulness has gained significant popularity as a way to reduce stress, improve well-being, and increase personal fulfillment. Never mind the stress caused from the COVID pandemic for many! That same mindfulness can also be harnessed as a powerful tool in designing your holistic legacy plan.

Holistic legacy planning involves considering the impact, and influence, that your life has on others and the future, not just in the present, but also after you have passed on. This type of planning requires introspection, reflection and consideration of your values and beliefs. 

One of the key benefits of mindfulness in holistic legacy planning is increased self-awareness. Mindfulness allows you to become more attuned to your thoughts, feelings and behaviors. And we all know awareness is key to your personal and leadership development. By time blocking and nurturing your greater sense of self-awareness, you can identify what matters most to you in what you want your legacy to be. Mindfulness helps you get clear.

Mindfulness can also help clarify values. When you are mindful, you are more present in the moment and less caught up in the distractions of everyday life. This can help you tune into what really matters now, in living into those values and aligning your short- and long-term decisions to them. By identifying or updating your core values, you can ensure that your holistic legacy plan is built on what you believe and can be a source document for you and your loved ones to refer to each year, in years to come.

Another benefit of mindfulness in holistic legacy planning is the ability to cultivate compassion. Mindfulness practices such as a "loving-kindness meditation" can help you develop greater empathy and compassion for yourself, your past selves (who might not have known any better!) and towards others. This can help you start the design of your holistic legacy plan, with a bias towards 'imperfection', in that it is not just about your achievements and accomplishments, but also about the positive impact you want to contribute to the lives of others.

Finally, mindfulness can help you stay focused and motivated as you work consistently towards your holistic legacy goals. By and through daily or regular practice, you can build your mental resilience and emotional regulation muscles, which can help you cope with any inevitable challenges and setbacks that come with today's world and a long-term planning process.

In conclusion, mindfulness is an often overlooked yet valuable tool for anyone interested in designing their holistic legacy plan. By cultivating self-awareness, clarifying your values, cultivating compassion, and staying focused and motivated, you can design a legacy that reflects the best of who you are and what you stand for. So why not give mindfulness a try? Your legacy and the world around you may benefit greatly.

 

Angelina Carleton is founder of Design Your Legacy/Legacy Planning.

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