When you consider Life Planning what do you envision your life to be?

When you consider planning for the end, how does it make you feel?

Do you hesitate or procrastinate?... What is your reason? What is your excuse?

Over the past week, I have had the pleasure to speak with several people interested in the work of Living Legacy. Many don't like to consider an end - whether for life or business. Yet when we explore their concern, it is often a perception that this kind of planning should only be done when at the end. The fear of doing it now is often that by starting it might result in them getting it wrong or that they may be opening themselves up to the reality of a worst case scenario.  I had my own accident 8 years ago that I recently realised was stopping me from doing things I had longed to try, as I feared the potential of further pain. I had convinced myself I had to live in pain which couldn't allow me to truly enjoy living my life. I was energetically carrying around the potential of the 'what if' so once I let it go the possibility now is joy. 

Yet end-of-life planning, succession planning, is just life and business planning in and of itself. For life and business we all want to get organised and feel that we are on top of our responsibilities and dream of not having a care in the world. Yet when invited to put that into practice people often hesitate, procrasinate, and not allow themselves the opportunity to be truly free in how they live. Instead of giving it focus now, they energetically carry around this load as a 'should', and the longer they avoid in tackling it, the more stressful the undertaking will likely become. Consider how things could be once you have your plans in place - free from the burden of 'must dos' and 'should dos'. Plans inevitably need to be reviewed and revised, they aren't just a once off, so making peace with this will hopefully alievete the feared sense of finality in undertaking your advance planning's commencement.

Consider the planning that goes in to organising a wedding. The expectation is immense to have a great day. Yet the wedding is just the beginning for a lifetime filled with hoped-for joy. But the work that goes in to planning that one day is enriched with excitement in starting something new, even with its own stresses and dramas, but it's about the possibility. Nothing is plain sailing in starting or in an ending. So start thinking of your life with a sense of wonder and delight to explore, so you can get yourself organised and ready to truly start living.

Yet our attitude to death can be our attitude to living life. In this work, it's really just about taking account of what you have connected to you, what you want to change, let go, and organise. When you consider that end of life planning may have you feeling sad or scared, then how do you feel if you consider planning for your life yet to live? 

I turn 50 this year. When I was younger I was sure I would be doing X, Y, Z’ by now… Yet here is where I am at. And I'm delighted. Some of my earlier life aspirations didn't come through as hoped, yet each detour and redirection led me to incredible experiences and insightful learnings. I am grateful for my life lived to date and excited for my life yet to create.

Last year I had done so much decluttering, planning, and really letting go of what no longer was of value to me, that I realised over the Christmas that there is only so much reflection, planning, and decluttering a person can do, and then it is about getting on with life. So I am now enjoying living and considering the possibilities of what I want to do.

So this motivates me to ask…. What is the possibility for you this year? What are you sure you will do? What are you putting off doing for another day or another reason? What is your excuse not to start? We cannot escape fear, we can however avoid opportunity. Consider the potential of what your life will be like once you have your 'what if' plans in place and create the possibility of fulfillment in the path ahead.

I have many ideas for what I want to achieve with Living Legacy and for my life, so if you want to explore the possibilities and what you want to get done in the year(s) then check out the options below and let's have a call to get started. Also check out the end of this page (on web browser) to access the previous newsletters from last year to help you get started.

I look forward to sharing the journey with you and wish you a fulfilling 2025.

Jen x

Legacy Building in Q1 of 2025

We are delighted to announce the following events and programmes taking place so please don't miss out if any are of interest to you:

Succession Planning

We are running a few Succession Planning introductory webinars over the comings months - in Donegal, Kildare, and Dublin, with a few more locations being explored. We are also partnering with a few Local Development Companies to offer Succession Planning programmes for community groups and non-profits. If this is something you are interested to run for your organisation, we run in-person and virtual seminars and programmes. Further details are available here 

We also have our 8-week succession planning programme which includes 2x one-to-one mentoring sessions as well as participation in our online community platform which will include supports to help you develop your own succession plan for your organisation. Check out the above link for further details.

End of Life Planning / Advance Planning

We will be running a half-day seminar in Wicklow for a group of carers to get their own plans in place and I will be speaking at a seminar in Meath about the importance of life and succession planning and also featuring as a guest speaker to a female entrepreneur's network in London in April! (so excited!)

Quite often people tend to focus end of life planning for those who are elderly or at end of life. Yet if given a diagnosis, the process of end of life planning can be quite distressing. It is also key that family members take care of their own plans first so they can guide their loved one, with the knowledge of their own process. I have found that by getting my plans in place opened up great discussions with friends and family, that have encouraged them to explore putting their plans in place and having conversations with their loved ones. And so the seed is sown and the discussions spread. That is why we are inviting you all to explore getting your plans in place when you don't have any urgent need, as it will allow you the space and freedom to contemplate your life lived to date and what your wishes will be should hands on care be needed in the future for you or others. Further details are available here

Legacy Building

In recent weeks I had the privilege of being handed a piece of incredible work my uncle carried out on the generations of my family tree. Going back 5 generations it is so helpful to see the alignment of my ancestors and also explore their wide ranging experiences, the family stories (and some mis-stories) as well as better understanding those that contributed to who I am today. As part of this, and in honour of my upcoming half-century celebration, I am also starting to gather my own life history to give recognition to all that I have lived and the people that helped me live.

Life stories and life histories are so important. So after getting our plans in place, there is a real joy in having the space to explore what made us who we are today. Whether through photos, journals, oral histories, families trees, and even heirlooms and mementos. Clearing out the clutter will get rid of what is not relevant and reveal gems in our life history.

We have launched our "Death. Life. Legacy" programme which allows for the wider look at getting our life story together, putting our life plans and end of life plans in place, and really explore the life we have yet to live. 

The Death. Life. Legacy programme is offered in the following ways:

1. Weekly Legacy Guides - Kickstarting the Imbolc weekend (February 1st) - the season of new beginnings - you will receive a guide each week to give you bite size aspects to explore steps to help you put your own Living Legacy in place. Further details are available here
2. Weekly Q&A sessions - to help you through the process and answer any questions you may have. These can range from an aspect of advance planning, to working through a block that you are currently dealing with in life or in business. These are practical sessions to give you a quick opportunity to have any questions answered without needing full one-to-one coaching. You can sign up for ongoing weekly sessions or one at a time. Details are available here
3. If you sign up to the Deadmin 5-week end of life planning programme, the Death. Life. Legacy guide and Q&A sessions are included. Check out here for more information.
4. For those who want to explore life coaching or business mentoring, check out here

Making Contact

To better understand your needs and how Living Legacy can help you, I will be reaching out to invite you for a one-to-one call with myself. We are so grateful for your interest in our work that we want to ensure you get value and benefit to help you consider your life yet to live and explore your legacy yet to create.

I look forward to connecting further with you.

Jennifer McConnell and the Living Legacy Team