Running Toward Legacy

Running Toward Legacy: Women, Empowerment, and the Army Ten-Miler

Grab your journal and your The LOTUS Within book (https://www.amazon.com/LOTUS-Within-Purpose-Ignite-Passion/dp/B0DDRDXB89 ). It’s an exciting weekend with friends! as I laced up my running shoes for the Army Ten-Miler this weekend—the second weekend of the new fiscal year—I’m reminded that movement isn’t just physical. It’s symbolic. This run, set against the crisp October air and the echo of thousands of determined footsteps, mirrors the forward motion many women strive for in their lives: toward empowerment, clarity, and purpose.

I also spent time outdoors with a powerful group of women—sharing stories, wisdom, and laughter under open skies. The rugged landscapes we hiked weren’t just physical terrain; they were metaphors for the paths we walk every day as women. These kinds of moments are what I envision when I think about legacy—not titles or trophies, but the real, lived experiences of women showing up for each other.

My book, The LOTUS Within, delves deeper into these themes—planning for our futures, reclaiming time, and living with intention. But this weekend, I wanted to pause and reflect with you here.

Because empowerment doesn’t always come from a podium or a movement. Sometimes, it comes from a ten-mile run with strangers who become sisters, or from a late-night conversation around a fire, or simply from knowing you’re not alone in your journey.

The Power of Women Showing Up—for Each Other and Themselves

Solidarity isn’t just support—it’s strategy.

When women intentionally spend time together, we create space for authenticity and healing. We shed the roles we play in the workplace, at home, or in our communities—and allow ourselves to just be. That’s when the real work begins: the unlearning, the planning, the dreaming.

Support is not passive—it’s active.

It’s checking in. It’s sharing resources. It’s pulling someone up when they forget how high they can climb. When we support one another with intention, we create ripple effects that reach far beyond our immediate circles.

Legacy is not what we leave behind—it’s what we build now.

Our lives today are the blueprint for the women coming after us. Every choice we make to set boundaries, pursue goals, or lift another woman up is part of that blueprint.

Three Core Tools to Build Your Personal Legacy

1. Plan with Purpose

   
   

   Whether it’s a 5-year vision or simply deciding what deserves your energy this month, planning gives you agency. Without it, you’re reacting instead of leading.

   
   

2. Manage Time Like a Resource, Not a Burden

   
   

   Time isn’t just about schedules—it’s about energy. Identify what drains you vs. what fuels you. Reclaim your time so you can redirect it toward the life you want to live.

   
   

3. Prioritize What Matters to You

   
   

   Not society. Not your title. Not someone else’s expectations. When you align your goals with your values, you’re not just moving—you’re advancing.

As I run this weekend, I carry the stories and strength of the women I’ve walked beside—on trails, in boardrooms, and in everyday life. My miles are for legacy. For progress. For the next woman who wonders if she can take that first step.

Yes, you can. And we’re cheering you on.

🖋️Journal Prompts for Reflection

1. When was the last time you felt fully supported by another woman—or when you were that support for someone else? What did it feel like?

   
   

2. If you could design one part of your legacy starting this month, what would it look like? How would others experience it?

   
   

3. Where in your life do you need to reclaim your time—and what’s one step you can take this week to do that?

Let this new fiscal year not just be about budgets and goals—but about alignment, authenticity, and empowerment. And whether you’re running ten miles or just taking ten minutes to breathe deeply, remember: your legacy is built one step at a time.

With sincerity,

Amelia Duran-Stanton

Author of The LOTUS Within