Legacy Beyond Finances

By the time you get to retirement age, it’s natural to start thinking about what kind of legacy you’re going to leave behind. When you think about the word “legacy”, there’s a good chance you think about money. For a lot of people, this means leaving money behind for your children, grandchildren, and other members of future generations. You may also think about making significant charitable donations as a part of your legacy. However, it’s not all about money. Often, the most meaningful legacies aren’t financial gifts. 

There is a lot you can do to better the world and leave behind a meaningful and important legacy beyond financial contributions. 

Sharing Your Personal Stories

Your legacy isn’t your money. You have lived experiences that truly matter. You’ve been through things that will amaze and inspire others. You don’t even need to have had an especially fantastic or out-of-the-ordinary life for your stories to mean something, either. The time you grew up in is so much different than how young people are growing up today. The world events and situations you’ve lived through are meaningful and important. 

By sharing your personal stories, you don’t just preserve your history, but you’re also able to impart wisdom onto others. Storytelling also strengthens emotional bonds, which helps build your personal legacy. 

You will live on through the impact you’ve made on your loved ones and the stories and lessons you’ve shared.

Mentoring Others

In addition to sharing your story, there is incredible value in mentoring others. You can leave behind a very meaningful non-financial legacy if you help others achieve great things, succeed in their chosen field, or just get through their days a bit more easily. 

Your values, skills, ideas, and experience matter and you can leave a truly meaningful legacy through helping and inspiring others. The retirement years are a perfect time to become a mentor.

This might mean volunteering at a school, giving professional lectures in your field, or joining an organization that focuses on mentoring. Think about what you have done in your life. What skills or experience do you have to pass on to others? Maybe you’re a gifted cook, an experienced musician, a talented businessperson, or perhaps you have other expertise that you can pass on to others. Don’t worry, you don’t need to be an expert or someone at the top of your profession to be a mentor. The most important part of mentoring is to care about those you’re working with and having the time needed to dedicate to the process. Showing up is so crucial. A major part of being a mentor is serving as a role model. 

Start by talking to organizations that may need mentors, such as schools, professional organizations, or dedicated mentoring programs. These groups operate in nearly every community. They’ll help you get started and make sure that you understand what is expected of you. These initial meetings are also the time to detail your experiences and explain how you can help. 

When you start working with a mentee – whether it be one person or a group – it’s important to build trust and a strong, positive rapport. This may take a while, but it’s a vital step. From there, start to explain your experiences and your viewpoints, but also encourage independent thought and allow active participation. Over time, you will play a crucial role in someone else’s development and help them learn more, feel more connected, and improve their own life. This is an incredible non-financial legacy to leave behind.  

Charitable Work

Donating to charities is a common part of legacy building for many people. Through charity, you can have a larger impact on causes that matter to you than if you went about trying to do things on your own. However, it isn’t just charitable donations that matter. Again, money isn’t everything. Donating your time, your expertise, and your knowledge to organizations you care about is an excellent way to leave behind a meaningful legacy. 

What matters to you the most in life? What brings you joy? Find an organization that is important to you, whether it’s one you’ve worked with in the past or a new one that will help you define your legacy. Through charitable work, you can provide better opportunities for future generations and leave behind a stronger, more thriving community or society. 

Building a Non-Financial Legacy

It’s common to think about your legacy when you reach retirement. Not only do you want to leave the world in a better place, but it can be incredibly comforting to know that you will be remembered positively even after you’re gone. For a lot of people, finding a way to leave a legacy becomes a major goal of their retirement years. 

However, it’s important to not think about this legacy entirely through a financial lens. Yes, your financial gifts to future generations can be meaningful, but that isn’t all that matters. Rather than stress yourself trying to think of how you can make larger financial contributions, be creative and come up with other ways to create a better future.