Would You Be Proud of the Legacy You’re Leaving Behind?

Photo by Dennis Yu on Unsplash

If you died tomorrow, would you be proud of the legacy you left behind?

I know, not the most uplifting question to start your day with. But stay with me.

This thought popped into my head recently—not in a morbid way, but in a check yourself kind of way. And my honest answer?

Hell yes.

Not because I’ve done anything flashy. I haven’t climbed Mt. Whitney or written a bestselling book (yet). But I’ve built a life I’m proud of. One that feels deeply mine.

I’ve taught my kids how to sit with hard feelings instead of running from them. How to do hard things, speak up for themselves, rest when they’re tired, and be kind even when it’s inconvenient. I’ve modeled what it looks like to take care of myself and the people I love—without turning myself into a martyr.

I’ve created a life that fulfills me. A cozy, meaningful, sometimes chaotic, but deeply intentional life. One where I don’t dread Mondays or look forward to wine o’clock or count down to the weekend. One where joy isn’t something I’m chasing—it’s baked into the day-to-day.

Can you say the same?

Not in a judgmental way, but a gentle nudge. A pause. A moment to ask:

• Am I living in alignment with my values?

• Am I showing up the way I want to be remembered?

• Am I spending time on what really matters?

Because the truth is, we don’t need more time—we need more presence with the time we already have. We need to stop waiting for the perfect conditions to start living the life we actually want.

So if your answer is “no” or “not quite yet,” you’re not alone. But let’s not keep pushing it off.

Start now. Start small. You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Just take one step closer to the life you want to leave behind.

And if you’re already on that path? I hope you take a moment today to really feel proud of yourself.

You’re doing it. That matters.

Want to go deeper into this kind of reflection? Join me inside my paid Substack community, The Cozy Life Circle. We talk about legacy, presence, boundaries, and building a life that feels good to wake up to. You don’t have to figure it out alone.

A little extra for you, my Cozy Life Circle members: