As we cloister ourselves at home to protect our health and our loved ones, so many of us are missing the connections that bring meaning and joy to our lives. Our sense of purpose has been turned upside down. We question whether the things we have given our lives to doing are still important. Has the pandemic changed our image of who we want to become?

One silver lining in this pandemic is the slower pace that has been imposed on us by staying at home and limiting our activity and exposure. There is grace to be found in the stillness. It invites us to reflect on where we are in our lives, what is now giving us meaning and joy, and whether we are on the path to becoming the best of ourselves or need a different direction.

In March of 2020, when the magnitude of COVID-19 was becoming apparent and employers were shifting into survival mode, my contract work with a non-profit organization came to an early end. It was work that added great value to my life and my sense of worth to others. It was home base for friendships I treasured. But it was out of my control. It was the first of many challenges, I soon discovered, that would call for a whole different way of thinking about my place in the world. It was some consolation that I was not alone. Most human beings were having their own version of the same experience.

My concern about how friends and colleagues were coping prompted me to start making phone calls. “How are you doing?” “Is there anything you need?” “How can I help?” “Don’t ever forget I care and I’m here for you.” These were the typical conversation lines that led to a rich sharing of experience and feelings. One thing became clear to me: as our worlds closed in, we became much more focused on the meaning of our lives and how we had been spending our time. We questioned whether all of that would change. I was surprised to hear how many people felt open to the inevitability of change, and the possibilities for rewriting their life story.

In a recent series of articles, Michael F. Steger wrote that “To survive the pandemic … we need to make meaning of it. Simply enduring, or trying to stay resilient, might not be enough to prepare us for the repair that our changing world will need. By making meaning, we practice the skills we will use to lay the groundwork for a good life, even as the world changes around us.”

As sad as I was to say goodbye to work and relationships I so enjoyed, a window of opportunity opened for me. I created the Legacy Workshop three years ago and have presented it live to hundreds of people. We learned from the workshops that people became stronger in facing life challenges when they were able to talk with others about what’s important to them and feel supported in the decisions they needed to make. Sharing their life stories in the safe and trusting environment of the Legacy Workshop was giving participants a deeper understanding of what mattered most in their lives, how they wanted to be remembered, and the kind of legacy they wanted to leave.

When the pandemic made in-person presentations impossible, the feedback we were getting from people made it seem imperative that we find a way to continue the workshops. The Legacy Workshop was just the therapy people were looking for to help make sense of all the changes they were facing.

Going out on a limb, I created a virtual edition of the Legacy Workshop, and prayed it would be as engaging and effective for people as the live experience of the workshop. “It took my breath away”, said one participant. “I felt totally renewed, like having a spa day”, said another. Most importantly, in the workshops people are finding empathy in the company of others (albeit virtually), affirmation of values, and the courage to see their life’s purpose through a different lens.

Michael Steger was right in saying our world is changing, and endurance and resilience will not be enough to prepare us for what’s to come. Stepping away to explore the meaning of our lives and the purpose for which we are here – through experiences like the Legacy Workshop – I believe we will find the qualities we need to be stronger, wiser and truer. And, ready for change.

Learn more about the Legacy Workshop!