The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. ~ St. Augustine
~~~
Yesterday I returned from Paris where 11 Women on Fire experienced the trip of a lifetime together.
We laughed and cried. Listened and empathized. Honored and celebrated.
We experienced days with four desserts! And, evenings with fine French food and wine.
Every woman on the trip carried a full plate prior to coming on the trip. So, for each of us, Paris was a chance to stop, to breathe and re-calibrate our lives, and then to return home inspired and re-invigorated.
Years ago, a very talented colleague of mine, the writer Sue Ann Jones, referred to fashion or life make-overs as “The Before. The After. And, After The After.”
And, so it occurs to me that there are at least three powerful stages we go through in moving toward our dreams and deepest desires.
First, there is the excitement, the notion, the possibility of a goal or dream that inspires you to something better or greater for your life.
Take the paris trip, for example. Several women on the adventure wanted to have a fun experience with other women; others wanted to take a break from overwork and overwhelm; still others wanted to “re-do” Paris after an unpleasant past experience.
Each one listened to the inkling or desire to follow her heart. (Is there something in your life right now tickling your imagination?)
Next, there is taking action to make it happen. You may launch a business, go on a vacation, move to another city.
With the Paris women, they signed up for the trip and started to plan.
And, finally, there is the reflection after the experience. In this stage, you receive the wisdom, feel the glow, and apply the experience to a new and improved life.
For the women who went on the trip, I watched us each transform in a magical way, and I saw the three stages at work in us all.
Going to Paris was a lifetime dream of mine, and the trip proved to hold dreams within dreams.
One of them was my own “Before. After. And After The After.”
For a while now, I have been wishing for a new look. Something different, but I had no clue what exactly. It was just an inkling.
And, in Paris, with the help of renowned magazine cover hair and make-up stylist Rita Dell’Orco, my wish came true!
The Before
Rita Dell’Orco working her magic
The After
And, finally, After The After – living with the new
Wherever you are with your dream – maybe life has gotten in the way; maybe you need support and nourishment; maybe you need confidence – you can be assured the stirrings inside you are waiting for expression.
And, perhaps something as simple as a new haircut you love, will get things moving in the right direction for you!
Keep us all posted on your dreams and goals in the comments section below.
