I am in a hotel room all by myself, something I have never experienced before.  What a novel feeling.  Not that I am alone, and not that I am away from my family.  Both of those things I have done before – but two nights in a room all by myself… I don’t know if I feel exhilarated or lonely.

A common theme for me today seems to be women finding their inner power, often from a place of solitude.  Early this morning, I finished the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed.  It was one of the most beautifully written books I have read in a long time – and one whose theme is one of self redemption, letting go, and finding courage – a poignant story of how the author found her own inner power.  I cried as it finished, partly because of being moved, and partly out of sadness that I would not have any more pages to read of her journey.  Perhaps it set my unconscious radar on noticing women in power today.

Then this afternoon, I drove 2 hours to have lunch with one of my dearest friends in the world – a person who I admire intensely for how much strength she has shown time and time again in the face of challenges.  And as I was introduced to the owner of a beautiful coffee house, the impromptu conversation was one of noticing how there seems to be a palpable shift in women stepping into roles of greater power, in business as well as in the global community.

On a good day, I imagine myself to be a definite player in that same group.  (Definitely today, feeling exhilarated and free, music filling the space around me as I drove – fast.) I like to imagine that I can change the world, and that as a woman, I need only to stay connected to all sides of me, being strong and exhilarated, conscientious and full of emotion.  I don’t need to try to tone down my female-ness, but rather, embrace it.

Perhaps what the world needs is to have more heart-centered approaches.  Perhaps women, with their eyes to the future lives of their children are the exact ones to hold the space for what is possible in our world.  Perhaps our tendency to see the best in others, forgive them their weaknesses and love them anyways is one of the things that will eventually heal our world.  Maybe we should learn to nurture again: become like a mother to each other, to our communities, in our businesses, to our earth and within our global community.

Towards the end of the day, I arrived at my final destination:  London, Ontario. And this is where I find myself in a hotel room by myself, for a Life by Design seminar.  Very fitting, as the WHY behind Life by Design is the precise reason I joined with these other chiropractic practices:  because we believe that every person is designed to be extraordinary.

Just imagine for a moment what the world could be like if every person, family, industry and government recognized how truly amazing every person is (or could be).

Shortly I will be heading out to meet friends and colleagues for dinner, some of whom I have only met in cyber space up until now.  And I have no doubt my “theme” will continue, as I greatly look forward to spending time with all of these inspiring, like-minded people… not surprisingly, with lots of women in the mix.  I sincerely look forward to spending my weekend with this community of people who are all out to make this world a better place.  It makes the time away from my family truly worthwhile.