My new book is finally in my hands and it feels so good to hold it. We are busy preparing for our book launch, which has made me stop and think about my legacy. While I expect (and hope) to have many more years, reading the new book with my girls has made me think about how I want to be remembered when I leave this earth.
Money is often the first thing we think about when it comes to our legacy. Understandably, many of us would like to leave behind some sort of financial legacy to our loved ones and organizations we value. However, there is another legacy everyone leaves behind through the people we’ve touched and the lives we’ve changed by simply being ourselves.
We more often think about the power of our financial legacy, then how the lessons we instilled in our children and others are carried forward into new generations. This is our most powerful legacy. And you don’t need to be wealthy or famous to have this kind of influence, you just need to think about what gifts, beyond money, that you want to leave behind. Here are a few of mine.
These are my most honored titles and I proudly wear each of them. It’s my hope that my words and actions in these roles make the lives of my daughters, husband, mother, sisters and friends better as every single one of them have made mine.
I feel blessed that we are able to provide such a good life for our daughters, and I also know there are families who have bigger and smaller bank accounts than we do. I could choose to be envious of those with more and complain about their good fortune and our lack in comparison. Or look down on those with less. I could play “keep up” and risk our family’s financial security to do so. Or instead, I could appreciate all the things we are able to do and have. To be grateful that every night I tuck my daughters in to a warm bed in a nice home with full bellies. This is a luxury not every parent has and I recognize and appreciate our good fortune
Today only a third of financial advisors are women, and I’ve been a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) for 23 years. You can imagine how few women there were when I began my career, and I worked twice as hard to earn my place at the table. There were times it would’ve been easier to give-up, but I love what I do and wanted to help people. My passion and rock-solid belief that I could make a difference kept me going. Whatever career path my daughters choose, I know they will face some obstacles because everyone does. I want them to know that I weathered good and bad times too and even in the darkest moments, I never lost faith in myself. I believe in them and can’t wait to see what amazing women they will become.
Not to sound cliche, but I really want to make a difference and change how we value financial literacy in this country and world-wide. Most people are unfortuantely unfamiliar with the term financial literacy and why they should even care about it. It’s no wonder so many money problems exist today.
There needs to be a seismic shift in how we view and use our money, and I would like to help parents reshape how they think about money, especially when it comes to their children. One of our goals as parents should be to help our kids build a positive, working relationship with money. One where they understand if they make smart decisions with how they use their money, they can create the lives they truly want for themselves.
My dream is for people to feel both empowered and happiness in their money lives, just as my father taught me. And I am teaching my girls and you. Too many people feel paralyzed, afraid and miserable in their money lives when it doesn’t have to be that way. Financial literacy is the key to unlocking your money happiness and if I can you help you do that, then that will be a legacy I am proud to leave behind.
The Heavy Purse Store is now open! My new downloadable Money Club Workbooks are now on sale. Each workbook provides five targeted lessons to help you raise Financially Confident Kids. Please check them out in The Heavy Purse Store.
SHANNON RYAN, CFP®
My grandmother (mamá) is not going to leave a financial legacy, but all the money in the world doesn't come close to her actual legacy.
She has taught us how to be better human beings, how to love one another, how to care for people even when you don't care for them, and countless other things that have improved our lives tremendously.
Money comes and goes, but there are things in life that stay with you forever. Her legacy is a legacy of love.
I agree with this 100%, Shannon! I know so many people who live as victims of their bad choices without realizing that it doesn't have to be that way. Education is the answer.