However, ?discovery? doesn't come without its partner ? reflection. That's where I'm headed today with our conversation.



I don't think I need to go to Webster's to define reflection for any of us. Basically, it means to ?look back? or ?into?. Metaphorically, it's staring into the ?pool? and what I see is ?me?. But I do feel a need to make a distinction I think is important.

What I'm talking about here is ?self-reflection? versus event reflection or experience reflection. Example, I can reflect on the events of 9/11, 2001, remembering all that I saw and heard. But looking back at that day, it's how I felt and the personal impact it made on me that relates to ?self-reflection?.

Looking back at a day; aweek; a month; a year or years events from my personal perspective is the focus of this piece.

Asking the tough questions, ?what did this or that mean to me ? for me?. ?How did it impact me?? ?How did I handle it?? ?How was I changed by what occurred or didn't occur??

The ?this or that? may have been nothing more than a realization ? an ?ah ha? moment. A new piece of information that I'd never known before or did and hadn't given any consideration! Perhaps it's a new experience that changes my viewpoint on life and becomes a 2nd half of the journey ?mantra? for me. It may be something so significant as to alter the way I respond to persons, situations, circumstances and events, as well as to me, throughout the remainder of the journey. It may be a word spoken by another that leads to a whole trail of new thoughts, images, self-concept, other concept, etc.

It may be the ?something? that changes me and my life for the rest of my days!

Having said all that, it is my personal and professional theory that the 2nd half of the journey-process begins the day we stumble upon or come in contact with a ?something? that is life-changing. And I mean a ?something? that, at some point, impacts every arena of our lives!

What might that be?

I can't answer that for you. I can only answer it for me ? for myself. I live in ?my skin? ? not yours. Can I lead you or coach you or be a mentor to you as you ?pick up the pieces? of something so personally important to you and those who are significant to you ? the answer is ?yes?. I may not have had the particular experience or ?ah ha? that you've had, but I'll bet you that I've had something similar that at its essence is so similar that I can relate to, empathize with or otherwise walk with you through the halls of understanding and meaning-making as a source of encouragement and empowerment.

This sounds like a commercial for ?coaching?! Trust me, it's not.

It sounds similar to how Jesus guided his ?motley crew of ordinary gentlemen? and gave them what they needed to understand knowledge-wise and the skills to live out what they'd learned in such a way as to have a powerful impact that is still felt today.

Some call it discipleship. I call it leadership; mentoring; being a friend who nudges me when the going gets tough and I want to sit down at the side of the road and say ?enough is enough?.

The Fall of the year ? speaking seasonally ? has always been ?my time?. The time when I get the inner urge to reflect. Some years ago, I analysed why at this season of the year I was more inclined to stop long enough to begin the reflection process.

Metaphorically (yes, I love metaphors), Fall is the season of preparation for ?hibernation?. It is the season when nature prepares to ?shut down? for a time of rest. I look at the plants we put in the ground this Spring and know they will ?die out? only to spring to life again next Spring.

Those of us who live in colder climates can more readily relate to the metaphor of changing seasons. But all of us know the seasonal changes and how each is different from the next. Fall is that season when I prepare for being forced inside by cold and snowy days of Winter.

My metaphorical sense and life experience tells me that when life circumstances force us ?inside for long periods of time?, we are ?ripe? for reflection!

As Women of Excellence, we are busy. We are multi-tasking daily, often moment by moment. We are goal oriented, super-achievers who pack our days with important activities that are necessary if we are to get it ?all done in a day? and get where we want to be.

But we need the ?humility? that comes with Winter! We need the ?inside for a period of time? that stops us in our tracks and answers what may be a gentle urging inside to reflect on that urging.

Some of the greatest achievements by women, for women, have come when women take time to reflect on what stirs within!

I don't want to say all that is ?within me? about reflection in just one dialogue. There should be and most likely will be more for tomorrow and the next day and the next ? before we begin to talk about discovery.

After all, we can't discover until we reflect and get an idea of what it is that we are to discover. As Laurie Beth Jones said, ?Success is cumulative?. It's a process. In fact, all of life is processional.

But then Women of Excellence know that already!