Legacy sounds like something reserved for someone who’s lived a long time or has had something incredibly remarkable happen to them. Or maybe someone who started a foundation to benefit a group of people. Someone who has something to leave behind.

Well, I happen to think we all have something to leave behind. If you think back to your life over the past 5 years, wouldn’t you say you’ve gained at least one valuable lesson that others could benefit from? I don’t think you necessarily have to be in the end stage of a typical lifespan to know that there’s something important inside of you that could very well be passed on to those you love, or the world in general.

I’ll also go further and say that I think it’s part of our purpose here to actually share those stories. I mean, why else are we going through them? Why the tough lessons if there isn’t the beauty of helping others? Sharing our stories helps others feel like what they are going through is relatable, and gives them hope that they will come out the other side. And not just survive the feat, but thrive afterward.

I first started sharing snippets of my life, and the lessons that came with it, after my mom passed away in 2009. Like, literally two weeks after she died I wrote my first blog post on my old blog. I’ve continued talking about the trials and blessings I’ve encountered in my life on this blog, in various inspirational anthologies, and other online and print publications. And every time I do, I have a sense of release, growth and satisfaction.

Is this enough to call my legacy? Yes, I think so. I think it’s definitely part of what I will leave behind. And it doesn’t have to be left till the late stages of my life to get down on paper.

My kids and family will always have a piece of me through my words, and in the public ways I share my writing I know I am passing something on to someone else. Even if one person comes away from something I write with the feeling that they are not alone, that they will be ok, that is a great gift to them and to me.

I believe in this so much that I’ve created a course called Writing for Legacy and am offering it through Semiahmoo Arts in South Surrey, B.C. It’s a short 4-session introductory course in a small group, where we can have 1:1 conversations and group discussions during sessions, plus lifetime access to a secret Facebook group for my writing students. It’s as fun as it sounds!

During the 4 weeks, I will help you uncover some gems you’d like to share and help you get started on writing them down in an engaging, inspirational way.

The class runs every Monday from November 7-28, 2016 from 6:30-8:30 pm.

If you’d like more information or want to see if this is the right fit for you, please contact me. You can register here or call 604-592-6970.