When Things Go Awry

"Like a long, warm summer breeze, life moves best when you simply let it carry you." — Unknown

There's not much that tops the cool nights and rosy dawns of summer. The comfort of moderate weather and predictability is happiness (for most) - straight and simple.

Travel brings a different kind of happy. Travel is not so straight and simple; but it will always be an adventure. From the moment you step out your door, you have embarked on your travel journey, and only when you arrive safely home again do you find it's end.

And what an adventure it will be!

As your travel agent, my job is to support you on your journey, from start to finish. So WHEN things go awry in whichever way it may, I will be your super hero, swoop in and [do my absolute best to] save the day. You are never alone.

"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance." — Alan Watts

Change is always difficult to accept at first. It can taste especially bitter when you've spent months, or even years, planning and dreaming, getting it exactly the way you want for this once in a lifetime trip. Then your plans get changed - the flight is delayed, there's a giant storm, your [fill in the blank] gets cancelled, you become ill and spend days in bed... This is not how you envisioned your vacation to be. BUT this IS your adventure.

Consider briefly the infinite amount of variables involved in even the simplest of trips, and the odds of everything going perfectly according to plan. Travel brings a very unique experience that allows you to dance with the wind as it blows. Travel in it's very essence is ever changing, unpredictable, an unknown experience of the world and the beings who occupy it. If we can embrace the Adventure of Travel, we can find enjoyment in every step of the dance.

When plans change:

• Acknowledge your lack of total control. You cannot control external events, only your reactions. Focus on what you can control to bring that sense of safety back.

• Focus on the present moment. Anxiety lives in the future; peace lives right now. Your flight got delayed overnight? Get that hotel voucher, order a pizza and ice cream, and have a super fun movie night.

• Reframe the situation. See changes as redirection rather than failure. What an exciting adventure!

• Take action, then release the outcome. Do your best (call your travel agent), then let go of the results. Ride that river.

• Practice mindfulness through deep breathing. Take three deep slow breaths when you feel overwhelm building. It's going to be okay.

"Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like." — Lao Tzu

When you're ready for your next adventure, I'm here to help. You're not alone.

Check out those trees in Wellington, New Zealand that grow bent in the wind.

Marvel at the everlasting storm of Catatumbo, Venezuela.

Take a quiet moment to admire from one of Earth's International Dark Sky Places, or listen closely sitting in an official Quiet Park International. Your adventure is waiting for you.

Cheers,

Tara Schwartz

Your Travel Specialist