Purpose and Legacy

by Nancy Rynes, author of Awakenings from the Light


A longtime friend of mine recently made his journey across the veil to what lies beyond this life. I was honored to be in physical proximity to him in his last few months here on Earth. During that time, he and I had many deep, spiritual discussions about his upcoming transition. He knew his earth-time was limited and he wanted my input on some of the things that concerned him.

My friend wasn't so much afraid of death or meeting his Maker as he was concerned that he hadn't fulfilled his life's purpose. His struggles in this life were many and he realized that one of them revolved around completing tasks. No matter the cause of that particular "failing" (in his words), in those last months my friend grew very concerned that he hadn't accomplished what he had come to Earth to do, that he was leaving something BIG undone.

He was afraid he hadn't completed his purpose, that he was somehow a "disappointment to God" (his words, not mine).

He was not alone in his concern. From my speaking engagements around the country, I can predict that at least one of these questions will be asked in each city: "What is my life's purpose? How can I find my purpose? Am I doing what I've come here to do?"

I told my friend what I'll tell you: RELAX already :-)

Listen to your heart-voice or intuition. What is it saying? What brings joy, a feeling of connection, or gives you great satisfaction? Do more of those things, especially if it's leading you down a path of love, kindness, connection, or creativity. Is your heart-voice happy and singing? Then trust it; trust that you are on a good, positive path, that it's leading you in the "right" direction.

Pay less attention to your ego. The ego is that fearful, inner voice that says you're right and everyone else is wrong; the voice that tells you to put others down rather than to be compassionate and understanding; the voice that buys into fear, lack, and separateness rather than strength, abundance, and connectedness. Following your ego exclusively can easily lead you down an unhealthy path in life if you put too much faith in what it has to say.

The reality is that only the Divine and our own souls know if we are on track in our lives. Sometimes our spiritual guides know too. But your heart-voice (your intuition) is your direct line to Divine, spiritual guidance. Listen to it. What is it telling you? If it suggests a course correction, consider it. But maybe it's telling you that everything is A-OK right now and to continue doing what you're doing; that yes, you can be even more kind and compassionate, but that you're on track.

Just remember to always do your best. Your best IS good enough!

Let's look at the question from another angle now. If you have lived your life with your heart in the right place, meaning you've tried your best to be kind, and to make decisions based on compassion and love, you're on a good track and you probably don't recognize all of the positive ways you've influenced others. 

We often don't give ourselves enough credit for the good that we have accomplished in our lives, so I'm giving you permission to give yourself a mental high-five when you are kind, generous, or compassionate towards others. 

Remember in Awakenings from the Light I wrote about the ripple effect of our words and actions? That our kindnesses travel outwards from us in ways we might not anticipate? That's what I want you to take with you today, that you may not recognize the far-reaching, positive effects you have on the world around you by just being YOU. Continue to be your kind self, listen more to your heart-voice/intuition, and don't worry so much whether you are "fulfilling your purpose." You are, just by following that inner voice of truth and love. 

And please, give yourself credit for the good things you've done.

Back to my friend. The reality about his life is that he didn't give himself enough credit for having had a positive impact on others. No, he didn't singlehandedly save the world but he did positively influence MANY people. 



Here's just one example: Over a decade ago, my friend gave a young college student a summer job. She was in an engineering program but was on the verge of walking away from it because money was tight. My friend stepped in and gave her a job painting his house so that she could finish her degree. Pretty cool, huh? It gets better. He really didn't need to have his house painted! He saw that she needed the money, so he gave her the only job he could think of: painting his house. 

Having the summer job allowed her to finish her degree. And what did she do with that degree? She is now the brains and chutzpa behind designing and building large solar energy farms throughout the USA, one of the more recent in Oregon. 

In his last weeks, even with failing health, my friend was able to travel to the grand opening of that new solar farm in Oregon that powers over 1,000 homes. During that grand opening, the former student, now green-energy pioneer, let my friend know that this amazing solar farm would not have happened without his kindness and generosity those many years ago.

That's Love. And that's my friend's Legacy.

We leave a legacy just by being our kind, loving, compassionate selves. By doing what we feel in our hearts is the right thing to do. And often times we don't have to "do" much, we simply have to "be." When my friend acted in compassion and kindness, he was fulfilling part of his "purpose," his reason for being here on this planet. 

So chill out a bit about your purpose and allow the Divine to guide you to it. Instead, follow your heart more often and your ego less. Make loving decisions (as much as you can). This will help you leave a legacy of love, kindness, and compassion, and  may just help you fulfill any purpose you might have.

Blessings, 

Nancy




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The Things I Learned from Dying





Posted by Nancy Rynes, author of Awakenings from the Light 
http://NancyRynes.com )
All content copyright Nancy Rynes, 2015-2016
Bio: Nancy Rynes is a speaker, artist, and author of "Awakenings from the Light" (available from Amazon.com). Nancy's books and workshops teach you how to bring a little bit of Heaven to your life on Earth. She lives near Seattle, Washington. Check out her website: NancyRynes.com