Changing our lives through Gratitude

We are coming to the end of it, my least favorite month of the year. So long! Farewell! Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!! It’s cold as all get out in Minnesota. It starts getting dark around 5pm and the snow/ice prevents me from getting outside as much as I truly need. It’s a mix of the weather and it’s also my busiest time of year for work. This is when most of my clients are traveling. I need to be available to assist in any emerging travel situations, including inclement weather, missed/delayed flights, hotel transfers not showing up and any unsatisfactory situations really. It happens!! As I was traveling today, the computer system went down and the gate agent had to HAND WRITE over 250 tickets and assign new seats. What we don’t always realize is just how many people actually touch your reservation from start to finish. Think about your luggage for instance- how many actual hands are on your checked bag from start to finish? It’s a similar process when you book your hotel or flight reservation. Even with the enhancements of the internet, we still rely on real people to fix problems, communicate special requests and make changes to reservations.  As a travel agent, I become personally invested in your booking and of course want for everything to go smoothly. Inevitably things can go wrong when you travel, so it’s a good idea to have a real-live-travel-professional in your corner if they do go haywire!

On the other sides of things, January is also an exciting time for me to see all the work we’ve done come to fruition. I see clients posting on Facebook, smiles wide and eyes bright. January also brings a rush of last minute requests for winter travel and people looking to travel later in the fall. Because of the time of year, there is a sense of urgency that comes through the tone of the emails. I’m tasked with juggling more than a whole team of circus performers.

Last year, I’ll admit that I was ill prepared. My business had taken off and nearly doubled. Every day felt like the day before. I was calling it “Groundhog Day”, like the 1993 movie starring Bill Murray. So how was I going to combat this feeling in 2018? I made it my goal to remember all the things that I am grateful for and make a list. This may seem like a task best suited for the month of November, but I figure this might help me get through the grind.

Here’s how I’m doing it! When I wake up, I lay in my bed and focus my attention for 5-10 minutes. I mean, who doesn’t love getting a few extra minutes in bed?? So I snuggle up in my new flannel sheets, thinking about anything and everything at first. It can be overwhelming when you really start to think about all the things you are grateful for. I have a roof over my head, I have food in my fridge, a husband who makes me laugh… all of the sudden all that other junk (groundhogs day feeling) starts to get a little bit smaller. That’s when I start to dig a little deeper. Lucy the cat cuddles up as my mind becomes like an old fashioned movie reel. I’m scanning through memories, seeing faces of people in my life that are important people. I mean, all of my favorites are showing up! I chuckle as I think of something my niece said or a peaceful moment staring at the stars. How do you quantify it all into 1 thing to add to my list for that day? The list item might come from a recent event. It might be something from my past, reminding me to hold on a little tighter to my loved ones. Sometimes the list item is something concrete and other times it’s abstract.

What I’m getting at is that there are no rules for this practice! There is no value that needs to be assigned to any one of your list items. No competition between them, they all belong there. You have 31 whole days to do this! Wait a second, it’s the middle of the month and you want to start- again, there are no rules here. Start it on any day you would like. I use the notes app on my phone, pretty simple but you could keep track anywhere you like. I find that I actually need to write the item down so it sticks with me all day. Otherwise it’s like nailing jello to a tree.

I love doing this practice at the beginning of the day because these thoughts stick with me all day long. Just as someone cuts me off in traffic or I’m exasperated by my long “to do” list, I’m reminded about my other list. That list is what keeps me grounded. I hope you find some peace in this practice. We have so many things in life to be grateful for if you really think on it. Freedom of speech, our right to vote, clean water, cheerleaders/mentors, sunshine, snow days, warm chicken noodle soup, forgiveness, kindness from a complete stranger, greeting cards for no particular reason, our favorite musician coming out with a new song--- the list goes on. Rather than focusing on the things we don’t have or don’t have control over, why not remember the good? That’s what keeps me going. We’re almost there folks! February 1 is just around the corner.