Questions You May Have

Anyone who has people they love and care about.

Unfortunately Death is unpredictable- and it doesn’t always happen in the order we might anticipate.

In our society, conversations around death seem uncommon until people are in their 50’s or 60’s. If your family has already experienced an unexpected loss, then death becomes more of a reality to be discussed sooner than later.

In our 50’s and 60’s it’s more common for individuals to begin exploring the intellectual conversations around death. Unfortunately, the reality is death can come earlier than 50 or 60.

So, Is it ever too soon to start creating Hope?

Creating a Legacy of Hope is about Emotional Estate Planning.

Emotional Estate Planning is about, “What you want your loved one’s to know, without a doubt, about how they Emotionally impacted your life”.

This isn’t about the legal details. It’s not about the wills, the finances, the passwords and all the intellectual details.

Emotional Estate Planning is about letting loved ones know—--->

• How they made you proud,

• How they brought joy to your life,

• How they made you laugh,

• How they made you feel loved,

AND

• How many hopes and dreams you have for their future….

This is your Legacy of Hope.

Through Angie’s Estate Planning with Heart, Your Legacy of Hope planning process, you will write the following specific letters, individualized for your loved ones.

• A letter for Immediately upon your death

• 1 year anniversary of your death

• 5 year anniversary of your death

• Celebrating Something Special

• Having a Hard Day

• How much You Meant to Me

This is the “scaffolding” of creating your personalized Legacy of Hope for your loved ones.

Upon your death your letters are delivered to their intended recipients. (per the instructions in your planner)

Absolutely not. You get to do you ;)

You can write your own organic letters for your own designated events.

My templates are meant to be used if helpful and the topics I selected are based on my personal and professional experiences with grief, loss and helping individuals move through life.

You can customize anything and everything using the blank stationary included or find your own stationary.

Another option is using cards instead of template letters or stationary. Finding a card that reminds you of someone and writing to them on that card.

I believe, anything you Intentionally leave behind for your loved ones……… any type of template letter, any organic letter, any random card, any photo with a note on it — anything specifically from you to them — becomes HOPE — when facing loss and feeling grief.

No.

You start where you are and you do what you can. In my experience, a little Hope is better than no Hope.

Come up with a plan and make a list of“your people”.

I talk about this in my booklet, but the point is not to write letters to every person you know and love.

A Legacy of Hope is focused on your intimate people- your close circle of loved ones. The binder has space for 10 loved ones.

After you make your list of people, check in with yourself to see what you feel capable of doing.

This is where the workshop space is helpful and supportive.

The workshop environment allows individuals, family groups, and common community groups to engage with each other in delicate conversations.

Conversations around how to approach the emotional, vulnerable task of contemplating our own death. And working together towards organizing and articulating what you want your loved ones to “know”.

Maybe to start your Legacy of Hope, you write one letter to each of your individuals.

Then put the binder away, go do life, and set a date for every three months or every four months to write one more letter to each of your people.

This is also where the workshop space is supportive in creating accountability to move through the process of creating Hope.

Often when we start something like this on our own, we begin the process and then it sits, and sits and sits. Coming up with an accountability plan is essential.

There isn’t a timeline.

Remember, it’s not a sprint but instead a marathon :)

It will never be perfect, it will never be done…. BUT it will be enough, and it will be your Legacy of Hope to those you love.

It’s like life. We always have more to do and it’s similar to “How do you eat a whole Pizza?- One slice at a time!”

One letter at a time, one note at a time, one memory documented, one photo included, etc.

Remember…….It’s not about the amount of letters or being “done”.

Your Legacy of Hope and your Emotional Estate Planning is about the intentionality behind anything and everything you have time to leave your loved ones.

It’s a balance.

The balance of living life and while living life —-- intentionally talking about death.

There’s so much more =)

I HOPE you will read my booklet & start your Legacy of Hope today!

I look forward to meeting you at a workshop, or helping plan a private workshop for your family, friends, colleagues, or community groups.

More than anything my HOPE for everyone is this —- May Grief be lined with a Legacy of Hope.