Every path is a different experience

A path is a path and a project is a project? True? No more then when you say, you entered the same river twice. The river changed and you changed even more. 

Yes, the first two Levels of each of 10 path are almost the same; only one project in Level 2 changes, from time to time. How we see them, but what we do them can be a very different experience. For me, each of the 5 level 1 that I traversed were!

I changed a lot from March last year and how I traversed my Paths changed also. 
Here are to different Badges I got from my pals along my way. In the summer last year, I got a badge from John Kendal: Collaborative. Last week, one from Graham Cairn: Inspirational. As in a blog post, the newest badge goes on the top of the oldest one. Collaborative, was I think when I helped John out and showed him how to finish a Project, a Level, as I was helped out before. Inspirational, must have been for a tale I told, or because I demonstrate that old folks can do and love it too. Of course, we inspire when passionate!

And here are my badges from the different paths and levels I traversed so far.

I finished a Level 4, in the right corner of the badge is a discrete 4 showing, "finished 4 times". It is in the first position, because I just finished the Effective Coaching 4th level last week. After it comes the Leadership Development Proficient, from end of December. Proficient meaning, I finished all it's five levels. This one was the shorter in time frame, in 5 and half month and the most enjoyable for me, will talk later and also in a different post even again about how a "path can be all for a goal and a theme, and traversed with a goal before you". 

Then comes the Dynamic Leadership that I have Activated (buy and begun), it's level 1 is not yet approved, when it will be, I will have a discrete 5 instead of 4 at the corner of Level 1. From March to now, I did achieve level 2, 3 and 4 also four times, and I do have two more "Proficient". Visionary Communication was my first Path finished, even if I am working still on some of its projects, repeating them, I love what I learned and also on my Vision: it does reach into the future. I also used it's projects later, at different levels to see beforehand when I needed. Closing us in only one Level works only for the first path. One can always take back a Completed Path, or even an Archived one. 

It is Base Camp that puts once you are "Proficient" and finished level 5 the path from the Active into the Completed folder, you can puts projects or even Path into Archived when you do not want to encumber the one you are currently working on.  

While Base Camp recognizes three of my paths finished, only two of them are in my Awards. The third waits for me to find it a good "home" club. Each club can declare only so many Awards for each of us a year, one of each Level I think.  

While I had a wonderful time - each time - at Level 1, (after I escaped from my first Icebreaker prison I could not break alone and thus found my first Pathways Mentor) and I found so many tales to tell and so many divers topics to research! 

At my first time on Level 2 I did struggle with its esoteric names "I am not inside a box!". I did not understand that being in many boxes is wonderful and still not like the special words the use for it, but as I have understood the concept and the conclusion, it did not bather me any more the next times. The impact of the different leadership styles I had and how they were used in different occasions of my life; or the mis-communication and how to speak so the others understand you. So many stories to tell! 

More difficult it was to tell about a Mentor helping me: till I begun Pathways, I did not think anyone - but my older friend - mentored me. Now, yes, I changed and now, I have tales as a "protégée" too.

I have been REP ambassador for more then 2 years, now Pathways Ambassador. And indeed, like this Toastmaster showed this slide, I am Walking The Walk, not only talking about it. 

Some path are more bumpy, perhaps I learned more even through it, and can tell cautionary tales about them, so they were valuable. Do not buy Printed Path! Others were in the joy of first discovery. Yet another, was an exercise of innovative thinking and collaborative walking along someone else to create together a great event and share our discoveries on the road. Each had its own Path, not the same, but we echoed each other's stories on the way and worked for the same goal. A creative way, to Pathways. 

I am sure, all of you will discover their way, will tell each other, will create new ways to use what is there now, as we will also have some new path and different projects coming : already in creation.