My kids and I were at a Barnes and Noble store. Bombarded by all kinds of eye-catching paraphernalia from toys to books. Books evenly stacked on tables. Merchandise everywhere. We make our way to the checkout area. I saw a bag that read “Dress like Coco, Live like Jackie, Act like Audrey, and Laugh like Lucy.” My son did not know who they were. I bet some of you know who they were.
Coco had a sophisticated sultry style, Jackie was low key and not flashy, Audrey was kind, and Lucy was a comedian.
Coco Chanel, Jackie Onasis, Audrey Hepburn, and Lucille Ball.
I tried to explain the attributes of the public persona of each woman. He understood.
Would you agree that from the neck down we are only worth minimum wage? As Orrin Woodward says “Most of us can do manual labor. From the neck up we are worth much more.” The possibilities are endless. There are many lessons that I have learned. There are some things you cannot put a price on.
There are iconic people in your life that you will remember forever. They are unique. They may not be celebrities. However, they may make you feel like a celebrity.
There was someone like that in my life.
I did lose a close friend, Tina earlier this year shortly after her birthday. One of her philosophies in life was a quote from Socrates “Wisdom Begins with Wonder.” She always had a curiosity about life. She lived her life with broad borders. Was her life extraordinary? Did she win a medal? Was she a high ranking official? No, to all of these questions.
What did she offer the world? She truly accepted others as they were. Her wisdom and encouragement, could not be contained. Her personality was not outgoing. I would characterize her as quiet, humble, and extremely intelligent. She did travel the world and inspired others to do the same. When I first met her, she offered to help me move into my condominium. Who does that? She was definitely one of a kind.
I knew that I would want to write about her because she was a legend to me. She was so sure of herself, but not arrogant. She would do anything for anyone she cared about. At her funeral, her mother told me that, she loved me and that I was a good friend to her. I then told her mother, “No, she was a good friend, to me.” There were people from all walks of life and from all over the world at her funeral. She accepted people as they were. She did not try to fix you. If you crossed her, she would get mad, and tell you and not scold you. She never said anything bad about anyone.
Her passing has hit me hard. It reminds me to not procrastinate. Become a Legend in my time. It came as a shock to lose a friend so young. Our time is short. We never know when our time will be up. You will never know the last time when you will see the people you care about.
Our lives are meant for a greater purpose. Sometimes it is in the subtle ways we carry out our lives every day. Is it to inspire others? Is it to help others? Is it to help those close to you? Is it to help your friends? Do you know what your purpose is? Are you pursuing your passion? Some of these questions came to mind when I was trying to come to terms that my friend was gone, and what the lesson was from this.
It makes me want to accomplish more with my life. I want to stop procrastinating. We let fear and doubt get in the way of what we really want to do in. What is your dream? What are your goals? What is important to you?
My Friend Bill who was close to Tina took this message to heart. He is following his dream of becoming a professional chef with his own food truck. He quit his job. He has a plan to make his dream a reality. He is an inspiration to me.
Even after Tina is gone, she has inspired Bill.
Are there people who charge you up? Are there people in your life that get you going?
I have another friend who was determined to be a stay at home Mom. She has achieved this goal with the help of her husband and by building a successful business with passive income. This is part of my dream. I do not want to work all day and be away from my kids.
Do you have a dream? Do you know someone who has achieved your goal?
What is your take on the world?
Will people want to be like you?
Will others say act like _______________?
Are you the person you want to be? Be an original. There is a secret to getting what you want in life. Become a Legend in your own mind, first.
Would others see you as a legend?
What are your dreams?………….
Will you become a legend and become memorable to others and leave a mark on the world?
You have a dream…
Don’t be afraid to let the world see your uniqueness. Then you can go out and do your best by letting the world see your best. Who knows maybe someday your name will be on a bag or at least remembered in such a way to inspire others to do great things. If you don’t know where to start – you can borrow the attributes of Coco, Jackie, Audrey, and Lucy by remembering to be classic, demure, kind, and funny.