Episode 29: The Ripple Effect: How a Doctor Mom’s Love Creates a Lasting Legacy

Every day, I’m reminded of the extraordinary woman who shaped my world.

Today, on her birthday, I honor her legacy.

Her laughter echoed through our home, her kindness warmed our hearts, and her integrity guided our lives.

My kids were too young to fully appreciate her influence. They were only a year old and ten months old when she left us.

But thankfully, her lessons have become a part of me, and I’m determined to pass them on to my family.

Many women I speak with say a driving factor in their life is to be a positive role model for their children.

And by raising well-balanced kids, women are shaping the future in the most profound way possible.”

Building a legacy isn’t about a specific outcome; it’s about the choices you and I make every day.

We’ve already started writing our stories; now, let’s make sure they’re ones we’re proud to share.

What do You Model for Your Kids?

The topic of legacy is inspired by my mom. Even though she left us 15 years ago, the pain is still very real.

Her legacy lives on within me and I hope to think in my kids too.

I see aspects of her in me that I am all too happy to pass along.

But I want to briefly discuss what she accomplished when she was here.

My mother modeled many truths to live by, here are my top 3:

• Quiet confidence holds weight and respect.
• Take time to just listen to people.
• Don’t do what others expect, do what makes you happy.

These truths have helped me at multiple points in my life.

So how do I create a list of truths to live by for my kids? I haven’t always modeled the best behavior.

There are so many things that I am ashamed to have done! How many times have my kids seen a grumpy mom walk through the door or heard me snap back at an innocent question?

They’ve seen me drag myself around the house doing all these chores and things that don’t really matter. I wonder, was I showing that things are more important than spending time with them, listening to them?

Boy is it easy to pick apart what is already done. I’ll stop here because really matters is how I respond to those stressors now, today.

I’d like to think the more recent memories of me modeling good behavior outweighs all those actions I did in the past, and honestly still do sometimes. It’s a process, and of course there is no perfect role model.

And maybe an imperfect role model is exactly what my kids need. They need to see how mom works through real emotions and exhaustion so they can do the same. They need to know how to cope with all the crap life throws at us. I am proud to be able to model surviving the crap!

And when the day comes that my daughter writes about me in some futuristic blog post, I want her to have a list of “truths to live by my mom taught me.”

I want my legacy to be loud and clear.

Do you yearn for a legacy for your children?

What are You Doing to Build Your Legacy?

Leaving your legacy is not work, it’s who you are.

Your legacy is in every decision, every interaction, every day.

Your kids are watching and soaking it up like a sponge.

They may roll their eyes at you, and dodge you at all costs, but they do notice your actions and words.

And if you think about it, with all that time spent in their rooms and with friends, your interactions become shorter and less frequent as they get older.

So, your words matter.

What you do today matters.

Don’t wait to start your legacy, you already started!

You can also make a conscious effort to model what you want your little ones to learn.

What is important for them to know?

I know a key issue for me is to foster a love of learning. Since this is a part of me, I don’t need to make an effort to show my kid when I have homework or am attending yet another conference because they see that.

What I do add are the words to explain why. I tell them knowledge is power. It brings opportunities you never knew existed!

I also try to teach them to be curious, about well everything. I demonstrate that by asking the questions I have out loud. For example, I’ll say, “I wonder why that butterfly just sat there for 20 minutes. Was she resting, soaking up the sun or thinking? Can butterflies think?”

Do you ever do this, or is it just me?

There are so many aspects that make a legacy strong, right? Other ideas are to model resilience, support dreams, or independence. Or perhaps, your family values loyalty and giving to community over independence. There are cultural aspects to be shared and continued.

What do you want to embody for your kids? What do you wish they would know? Tell them, show them today.

Sometimes you need a little clarity and direction.

Defining your values and goals is a great start to give direction for how you choose to act.

It may feel a little strange spending time on legacy because it’s the gift we give as we leave this earth.

It encompasses all the things a person accomplished, the values they instilled, and the relationships they built.

It’s not strange to consider your legacy now, because you have control now!

A mom’s legacy can have a profound impact on her children’s lives, and all the important people in their world. And I haven’t even touched the topics of a leaving a lasting impact in the medical community and beyond. There are no limits here. You can leave a mile long list of lessons and truths for people to remember.

You have an incredible gift to leave your kiddos.

Don’t forget to join me next week for another dose of support and inspiration. Until then, take care of yourselves, and take care of those who matter most.

It’s Time to Take Control and Thrive!