7 Steps To Living Your Legacy with Scott Schilling

2002 Winter Olympic Torch 

Early Saturday morning I woke up at my usual time in the wee hours before the birds chirp and kicked off my daily conditioning program. Within seconds after I open my eyes, I recite my vision statement to set my intentions in motion. It works!

Yesterday wasn't much different except I had a slight pull in the pit of my stomach that wouldn't let me go. An invitation to the North Texas Firewalkers event with Scott Schilling had come through my Facebook feed several times and I had selected "maybe" as my option since I wasn't sure I'd be able to attend. I had not committed.

The older I get, the wiser I become - and I know enough by now to pay attention to gut pulls and impulses that seemingly come out of nowhere because they come from somewhere. I gathered my thoughts, went to my computer, and changed my selection to "going" and purchased tickets. I committed.

Because I committed, Scott Schilling is now part of my cadre of expert coaches who provide me with insights and light posts along my journey. His wisdom is profound and simple enough for my daughter who (kind of) went along with me to understand. It was amazing to watch her transform from a "teenager" into an engaged note taker during the event. She paid close attention and even asked if she could attend the next event!

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A Living Legacy

I mark Y2K as the time period that I woke up with "why?" constantly on my mind. Before Y2K, I was happy living my early dreams as a Military Veteran and Electrical Engineer, making my way up the corporate ladder. In addition to work, I participated in and drove countless community service projects but I knew that I needed to become more. Y2K forced me expand my awareness of and engagement in the world beyond work, family, and friends. I continued to ask questions until I figured it out. Today I know my "why", I'm living it, and I'm still asking questions.

My questions help to clarify whether my time is being spent on things that matter versus on acquiring "things". I like having nice things and I know how to get them, but I live far beyond "things" now. Fast forward to yesterday...

Scott Schilling's talk summarized what it means to live a legacy versus leave a legacy. Living a legacy is active engagement in a life with purpose and meaning beyond yourself. Leaving a legacy is what remains once you are no longer here.

Scott converted his wisdom into the 7-letter acronym BALANCE. There is a movement afoot where oodles of people are searching for balance in their lives mainly around the work-life, life-work phenomenon. This search has been underway since the mid 1801s.

If you're seeking balance, these 7 steps as I captured them in my notes will help to move you forward.

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7 Steps To Living Your Legacy

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[STEP 1] B - BELIEVE in a Higher Source - whatever that means for you based on your core values

[STEP 2] A - ALIGN yourself professionally with your passion since purpose typically flows from passion

[STEP 3] L - LIVE a healthy lifestyle - sleep, eat, hydrate, exercise, and spend time with family and friends

[STEP 4] A - ACHIEVE financial freedom - which provides more influence and the ability to do even more good

[STEP 5] N - NURTURE fulfilling relationships - seek out like-minded people who provide positive energy

[STEP 6] C - CONTRIBUTE beyond yourself - participate in or drive worthy causes to help solve problems


[STEP 7] E - EDUCATE yourself continually - share your knowledge with the world via the "butterfly

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One Part of My Living Legacy

One part of my living legacy is helping to bring the Southern Dallas Women Veterans Enterprise Center to fruition as a member of the Planning Committee. I'm looking forward to the groundbreaking on June 12th as we also celebrate Women Veterans Day for the first time in the State of Texas. The Center for Women Veterans reports that there are over 380,000 Women Veteran Business Owners in the US and we're looking forward to increasing this number.

Let's stand up for this dedicated and distinguished group of women who stand in the gap for this great nation when called upon to do so - on the battlefield, in their families, in their communities, and in business.

Reach out to the Center with your support at womenveteransec@gmail.com.

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#MilitaryAppreciationMonth #WVDGetConnected #WomenVeteransEnterpriseCenter

Southern Dallas Makes History As It Breaks Ground For The First Women Veterans' Enterprise Center

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Southern Dallas is no stranger to making history, but this year’s historical events are especially significant as the groundbreaking for the first Women Veterans' Enterprise Center is accompanied by the first Women Veterans Day celebration, being held at the Veterans Resource Center (VRC) in southern Dallas.

The Women Veterans’ Enterprise Center is a pilot initiative for a national model based on its CEO Suite of Services: Co-working space, Enrichment activities and Opportunities for expansion and advancement. All Centers will engage a broad range of women Veteran business owners, designed to create a measurable socioeconomic impact while promoting entrepreneurship and economic development by focusing on increased revenue generation, employment opportunities, and community connections.

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VR Small, the Center's Director, shown standing to the right of Texas State Representative Victoria Neave, says "This is just the first of many Women Veterans' Enterprise Centers projected for the DFW area and our nation, each with a commitment to helping women Veteran-owned businesses scale for success."

The Center's slogan, "Connecting you is what we do" rings true as the Center announces its satellite location opening in Irving at The Study. "We are very interested in working with other counties and cities that share our commitment to serving women Veteran business owners," said Small.

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The official Groundbreaking Ceremony & Women Veterans Day 2017 Celebration is scheduled for Monday, June 12, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the VRC located at 4900 Lancaster Road in southern Dallas. 

This full day of activities, will kick-off at 8:00 a.m., with the official Groundbreaking Ceremony featuring an overview of the Center, testimonies from female Veteran business owners and statements of support from political, corporate and community leaders. The Center will host the Women Veteran and Small Business Luncheon highlighting their respective contributions to their industries and communities. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. and the program will commence promptly at 12:00 p.m.

The day will end on a high note, with a Women Veterans Day Reception, featuring women Veteran and mainstream entertainers commemorating this first annual event in the State of Texas. Representative Neave and ten of her colleagues at the State Capitol sponsored HB 2698, which has officially passed the House and is awaiting a Senate vote. The Bill acknowledges the June 12, 1948, "Women's Armed Services Integration Act," which enabled women to serve as permanent, regular members of the Armed Forces. This day provides a dedicated time to educate, validate and celebrate the contribution of women Veterans in the State of Texas.

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You can be a part of this historic event, setting the stage for Women Veterans Day 2018, which will mark the 70^th Anniversary of the "Women's Armed Services Integration Act." Rally the troops! We have come a long way, but the mission continues.  

Women Veterans have served their country with honor and now it’s time for us to serve them! Get connected by becoming a volunteer, partner or sponsor at this historic event. For more information contact the Center at womenveteransec@gmail.com. 

Follow the Center on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

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