Isn't it funny how "big" birthdays make you pause?

"Big" tends to be defined by a 0 or a 5 at the end of the number, which is silly because if we used base-2 or base-12 number systems, those numbers would have a completely different value, right? 

But those "big" ones...they get you in the thoughts...looking at what have I done? what do I want to do? what do I value? how do I provide value? why do I care about the things I care about?

I try to be thoughtful regularly--is that a characteristic of learning professionals?

What do you think about when you're doing an inventory--whether around a big birthday or a significant turn of the year?

And then what do you do in response to that thinking?

This year, I'm preparing to take the CPTD--the Certified Professional in Talent Development exam. It's really interesting, actually! I'm going through the TDBoK (I know, everything is an acronym, right? That one is the Talent Development Book of Knowledge) and some of the suggested supplemental resources with a study group to prepare, and in the process am getting reinforcement for work and processes I've followed for 10+ years as well as learning about possibilities, perspectives, and processes I haven't considered before! 

It's exciting and creating new spaces and possibilities for projects and techniques, strategies and practices coming up in my future! Isn't that one of the important things to consider as one reflects?!

What about you? What are you reflecting on? What are you doing in response to those reflections? ("Nothing" is a fine answer, too. #YouDoYou!) And what are you looking forward to in your next trip around the sun?

I hope it is spent in part with us, your colleagues in Talent Development! Your participation makes the field richer, which helps us all make the world better through learning!