No, there isn’t a punch line to go with that title. But every single item in that title explains my life over the past few weeks!
February was a short month, yet I found myself out of town for three trips. That’s a lot for me. And I wanted to share a little about my adventures (there was some unexpected situations) and explain how I focused on work and still got to have a little fun on a personal level, as well.
My first trip was to upstate New York, (the Berkshires) to a retreat hosted by my business coach. This is an event held three times a year and it’s the time I get to really focus on my business. I gather new ideas so I can move forward and the best part is I get to engage in a really creative outlet.
I love listening to the other members in the group, as well as get their input on my business. Unrelated to the trip, I received a phone call and was invited to be a speaker on a panel discussion with a large networking organization!
And, I was asked to be a moderator at a conference in September from a different networking organization!!
I should go out of town more often!
In New York, we went to an astrologer, a new experience for me. I never realized all the science upon which astrology is based. It makes much more sense to me now, understanding how the alignment of the planets has an effect on our lives. I mean just look at how the moon governs the tides of the ocean!!! The astrologer did readings of the cards and we each had a personal session, again, a new experience for me and a very memorable one.
My second trip was very personal in nature (or so I thought!) – dog sledding in the Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario Canada. I do this trip with my adventure-loving brother, Jim, who is actually a part-time guide with the outfitting company. The trip had a major snafu, as a large snowstorm was predicted for Philadelphia at the same time as my plane departure. I mentioned this to someone who reminded me that airlines will often change your flight without any charge due to impending adverse weather conditions. Rather than flying in the morning with the storm, I rearranged my flight and left the night before the storm!! As it turned out, my flight the next morning, along with at least 1500 other flights, was canceled! What did this mean for me personally and for business? Well, personally, I was no longer worried about missing the trip. Getting to dogsledding was super important and arriving late was not an option, as the group would have already left into the wilderness with the dogs and the sleds. Arriving early, however, allowed me to connect with a colleague of mine in Toronto and have a business meeting with her the next day. I made multiple phone calls while in the airport, waiting for my flight and did work at the hotel in the morning. The additional expense of the hotel for the one night now turned into a business expense, as did the plane ticket to Toronto!!
My final trip of the month was to Destin, Florida, a resort on the panhandle of the state. Flying into Pensacola, an area I had never been to before, allowed me to see newly, to be in awe with the emerald coast of Florida! People had awed about the location – now here I was in awe – it was beautiful – white, sandy beaches, a high-end resort hotel and a business conference!!! I was a sponsor at this event – so I was “on” throughout the event, however, I did take some “me” time. I waded in the water, walked the beaches, and I even lounged by the pool – with a large hat, a lot of sun screen and an umbrella of course.
All these events had one thing in common – I planned for them and I was focused on my business throughout the events. When a snafu developed, I reached out and asked for ideas and help. I also did things newly, agreeing to be a panelist and a moderator, I experienced astrology, I walked on a new beach, I drove on the emerald coast of Florida!! If this is what February had to offer – look out for MARCH and APRIL!!!
Did you know I hold a monthly workshop at Headroom? It would be great to see you there. I cover juicy financial topics every month like budgeting, expenses, taxes and a lot more. To see all topics for the year, click the button below.
