Stage 7: Happy Returns

When Dorothy returned home at the end of The Wizard of Oz, she wasn’t the same person—she had changed.

She had gained a new appreciation for home and the people she loved. The final stage of any journey is recognizing how it has transformed you. As a leader, you haven’t just changed yourself; you’ve also made new possibilities real for others. Take the time to reflect on what has transpired as a result of your journey.

Ending poverty is a massive undertaking, but it will be achieved through hundreds—perhaps thousands—of smaller journeys that ultimately lead us to a world free from scarcity. Essential leadership means recognizing that every action, no matter how small, contributes to this larger transformation—where every person has enough money, meaning, and relationships to thrive. The journey isn’t a single event but a series of cycles, each following its own seven-stage process. When you complete a cycle, it’s important to pause. Celebrate. Count your blessings. Give thanks to those who walked alongside you. Take note of what has improved—not just in the world, but in you.

We are meant to be happier, more peaceful people. As humanity evolves, we will put down our weapons—both literal and metaphorical—and move beyond our instincts to fight one another. The planet holds deep wisdom about how we can thrive. So many spiritual traditions now offer paths to free us from ego and guide us toward a life of joy and well-being. Technology, too, has the potential to help us build systems that ensure a good life for all.

No matter who we are or where we stand, there is always a next step—one that increases our impact and moves us closer to the collective calling of creating a better world.

Enjoy the process. Trust that all will be well. May the returns from each of your journeys bring you deeper contentment, peace, and happiness.

"Happy Returns"

Acrylic painting by Scott C. Miller

To purchase prints, please contact [email protected]

“True Tests, True Change” (Associated with Happy Returns)

And all at once I reach

the ending that I seek.

I found the glint at the edge of the world

and it was something more golden than gold.

It was the very sunshine I had been chasing

and now I can stop my racing.

 

I put it in my pocket for safekeeping,

and turn around to go back

to those soft-shores I left so long ago.

Into the sunrise I melted

yet, still, the tug of war in my heart

nearly tore my soul apart.

 

What is there to do now?

The game has been played

the score has been won.

Purposelessness, like a void

has once again reared its ugly head

but now I embrace it instead.

 

Yes, it is true that

the world will always cycle

between up and down.

I feel within my very being that

Sometimes left is right

and darkness is really light.

Yet,

with my new compass of life

I can always orient myself

towards that glint that is always there.

It came not with simple realization,

but with gradual, profound actualization.

 

I will take this new feeling that’s changed

and give to the world my soul, rearranged.