How do you shift from focusing on loss to being able to move past grief to see the joy and beauty each day? We know processing emotions is difficult but what’s worse is sweeping it under the rug when the rug is only so big. So how do you move the energy trapped within you, caused by stress, grief or loss, so as to be grateful and present compared to checking out? There are many forms of escape as a temporary fix but, in the end, healing is a straight line from A to B where how we cope and heal becomes a part of our legacy as well as the skills we pass on.

In this episode, hostess Angelina Carleton speaks with Harvard alum and executive coach Laing Rikkers about deliberately seeking beauty and sitting in the presence of something bigger than yourself to pay it forward. Tune in to hear about how you can’t be afraid while being grateful, in finding the answers to ‘what is of ultimate consequence’ for your legacy. Learn how you too can face and cope with unexpected misfortune and tragedy so the design of your legacy will be better for it.

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Laing Rikkers is an Executive Coach with over 30 years of corporate leadership experience, specializing in helping high-performing individuals find purpose, clarity, and joy amid personal and professional challenges. She empowers executives to navigate pivotal moments with resilience and focus, integrating emotional intelligence with practical business strategies. Laing’s approach supports leaders in sustaining peak performance while emerging stronger and more purpose-driven.

As the author of "Morning Leaves: Cultivating a Life of Beauty, Meaning, and Joy," (Red Hen Press March 2026), Laing blends leadership acumen with a deep understanding of grief’s impact. Her work fosters a culture of resilience within organizations, enabling leaders to overcome obstacles while driving successful outcomes. Through a structured, confidential approach, she partners with clients to develop tailored solutions that align individual and organizational goals. Learn more about Laing at https://www.laingrikkers.com.

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At Legacy Planning©, we work with rising entrepreneurs, wealth creators, and family stewards who are ready to turn their success into lasting contribution. Our co-active coaching and advisory services help you clarify what truly matters—beyond balance sheets and the four corners of a document. We guide you in aligning your values, relationships, and influence into a living legacy you can lead with confidence today, and pass on with intention tomorrow.

Whether you're navigating a personal transition, succession planning, or seeking deeper meaning after financial success, we provide the structure and space to ask life's most important question: What will you leave in the hearts and hands of others? Because legacy isn’t what you leave behind—It’s how you show up now.

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Looking for a meaningful gift for the visionary in your life? Give the gift of clarity, purpose, and legacy with a personalized coaching session from Design Your Legacy©. Perfect for birthdays, milestones, or major life transitions—this gift card opens the door to deeper impact and intentional living. www.angelinacarleton.com/gift-card

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/design-your-legacy-life-lessons--6631446/support.