I recently traveled with my family for our annual vacation to Telluride, Colorado. Along the way, an interesting event occurred that made me pause and reflect on what we really need. We had arrived at the Denver airport and were transferring from a jet to a small commuter plane. It sat about fifteen people. With all the changes to the rules around carry-on baggage now, one can never be sure what is allowed or not. On this particular flight, we were informed that we were limited to carrying one item.

An item. Now this was puzzling. I had your items: a backpack overflowing with my kids’ necessities, my purse, and my laptop. Let’s take a look for a moment. The backpack contained food, water, diapers, wipes, books, and other comfort items for my children. My bag contained money, credit cards, and my driver’s license; in essence, everything I need to prove who I am. And my laptop that contains all my work files and is, not without reason, my link to the outside world.

It was a difficult decision. And I wasn’t the only one who faced a dilemma. Other passengers were also having a hard time deciding what to take and what to store in that small space under the plane. People became angry, anxious and argumentative. The flight turned out to be punishing for so many people in so many ways and for so many different reasons. Experiencing this and seeing the anguish around me, I began to think about all the things I carry and why I carry them…not just for this flight, but for my entire life.

In Richard Leider’s book, repack your bagsstates that “developing one’s vision of the good life is a matter of constant choice. Repacking is essentially not about arriving at the destination, but more about the journey of learning.”

In my Successful Women Circles, we spend quality time reflecting on our passion, purpose, and plans. Part of this process involves looking at what we have in our lives that we need to keep, what we need to let go of, and what we need to add to the mix moving forward. As women move into what Carl Jung called “the evening of life,” we realize that some of the things that have served us along the way no longer make sense for the next chapter of our lives.

So here are the questions I’ve been thinking about since that flight, questions I’m now using with my coaching clients: On this journey called life, what do you take with you? Have you taken inventory lately? What are you carrying that you really don’t need? What have you been carrying for too long, perhaps out of habit and nothing else? Do all the things you carry make you happy and add value to your life? Are there things you’re not carrying that maybe you should consider adding to your life suitcase? What would you wear if you were living a life filled with meaning and purpose?

By the way, that day on the commuter plane, I plan to take the backpack. I thought that I could always buy another laptop and that I didn’t need to have my driver’s license to know who I was. And I knew I wanted to make sure my kids had food, water, and their little comforts in case we fell behind. In the past, I was a woman who overpacked for everything. In the afternoon of my life I am becoming very clear about what I need to take on my journey.

Everything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.