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Volume I, Issue 2
April, 2006

Wayfinder Coach, Robin F. Schepper, leads Wise Walking Retreats and is a personal coach to individuals and groups. After 20 years of helping non-profits, politicians, and world sports organziations with their communications strategies, Robin now helps individuals acheive the results they want.

What Is My Legacy?
April is always an introspective month for me because it is the month of my birthday. Along with birthday cake and ever increasing number of candles, I reflect each year on what I have accomplished, what I have yet to accomplish and what is my life purpose?

Aristotle said that finding your life purpose is knowing where your talents and the needs of the world intersect. I believe that each and every one of us has a gift to give the rest of us. My son, Marat, is only three and I can already see his gift. He is always laughing and smiling. He gives me the gift of living in the moment and embracing the present as the most perfect time.

We are all good at something. But often we are so busy with busyness, lists and obligations that we forget our passions and our gifts. We are so hard on ourselves that we don’t even recognize our authentic gifts. But what if we took the time to create a quiet space to recognize our unique gifts and purpose? What would our lives look like if we honored those gifts?

I heard a story about the Swedish brothers Alfred and Charles Nobel. When Charles Nobel died the Swedish newspapers confused the obituaries and wrote an obituary for Alfred stating his name, his living relatives and what he did with his life: inventing dynamite. When Alfred Nobel saw this story, he was saddened that the only thing he would be known for would be creating something destructive so he created the Nobel Peace Prize. I love this story because it gives us a unique way of discovering our life purpose by looking backwards and thinking: “What do I want my legacy to be?”

When you think about what you want to be remembered for, it is easier to make decisions about your present life and embrace your gifts and talents. I challenge you to think about these questions:

• What are your natural gifts?
  
• Who are you?
  
• What type of model are you for the people around you?
  
• How are you honoring your gifts every day?
  
• What will you be remembered for?

Our life purpose can be like Alfred Nobel’s impacting millions of people or small, like my life purpose impacting the people around me: I believe that if I can help people see the beauty in themselves they will have a happier life and that benefits us all. So this month, take the time for yourself and think about the gift you have to give to the world.

Upcoming Wise Walking Retreats:
Join Wayfinder Coach Robin for a Wise Walking Retreat April 2nd 9am-12pm in Great Falls, MD or May 6th 10am-12 in Rock Creek Park. Details at www.wayfinderinc.com

“Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you love to do, in order to have what you want.”
– Margaret Young

Book of the Month
“I will not die an unlived life”
– Dawna Markova

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