Let’s Talk About Legacy and the Lineage of Our Dreams.
at the age of 27, the glaring reality of “legacy” came to me like a terror in the night. it was without warning or invitation, it simply arrived at my feet without postage. as I inch closer to 30, the gravity of this thought has become more urgent as it calls me to speak, move, and think like the woman I see myself becoming. i feel those green parts of me ripening and it’s shifted the way I’ve been led to create and relate through my work these days.
i often think about the quote that says, “do nothing without intention,” and in a way, it haunts me. gently, of course — it’s been a guide for me as I make moves and seek to create things that actually have an impact on the world. you see, I came to the realization that it’s one thing to create to try to keep up with the rhythm of the internet, just posting out of motion and/or to make sure the world sees what you’re doing so you can feel some type of connection, but that’s not how I want to use the internet. these apps are tools, y’all. and it’s super important to create in a way that pushes you closer to your intended goal while serving the folks in your community.
how is that done? well, you gotta add value.
as I mentioned in a quote a few months ago, people are seeking a new and deeper level of truth and are gravitating more and more towards content that connects with their emotions whether it makes them think more extensively, feel deeper, laugh harder, or want more for themselves. (read here)
tapping deeper into this has allowed me to envision what the tangible evidence of my legacy would possibly be. and more so, how my work can live and take root offline. i know the internet is fun and can sometimes be the metric to which we measure how well we’re performing but we can all see is that our favorite apps are taking on new forms, so it’s wise to start (intentionally) mapping out how we can put our name on things that have a life offline. things that people can live with and live inside of. things that people can read or wear. things that people can write on or hang up on their walls. things that people can touch and feel within their hearts.
that thought becomes even more real when I think about the role community plays in all of this, because that’s often how things really catch fire. when discussions and content are spread by the blaze of word-of-mouth through chatters of “shares” and “have you seens?” recommendation is such a powerful currency that I hope we can learn to utilize and barter with more. even down to the gift and talents, because we all have a friend who’s good at something but just needs the resources or aligned collaboration to take things to the next level. it’s the art of putting your homies on and tapping into your tribe because those are the people who are going to shape the world next. sometimes we might think that our next big break will come from this big name, Hollywood figurehead, but really, it can come from our friends and the work they’re creating. if we really look at it, we’re more entangled in each other’s destinies than we think.
but at the end of the day, it’s all about the release. the release of an idea, the release of resources, the release of a scarcity mindset.
our dreams have webs the net us all together, the work we create could be the work the sets someone else free to allow them to create something that sets someone else free, and so on and so forth. it’s a lineage with endless possibilities and infinite numbers of outcomes. sure, we’re creating for ourselves, but the things we create will ultimately ripple out and touch people we haven’t met yet; whether could be your future spouse, a business partner, or our future children.
our futures are tethered so deliberately. so we have to happen; our work needs to happen.
so go make the future happen.
〰️ before you go: what are your views on legacy? is this something that has come to mind these days? i know these times are super uncertain, so if you need a push to help reimagine your future, let me know in the comments, I’d love to support!
with love,
ya girl, Aley.
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ig: @yagirlaley | twitter: @yagirlaley