Do you recognise the situation? Year after year we go to the same restaurant, because we feel so comfortable there and there aren’t any culinary „surprises“. For the same reason many people go back to the same holiday destination and the same hotel every year and, of course, always book „their“ room number 24. Or we remain stuck in the same job for half of our lives because we are afraid of doing something new or we doubt whether we are good enough. We humans are creatures of habit. I too find myself repeating such behavioural patterns again and again. Habits can indeed give us a feeling of security, but often also give us a false sense of security and prevent us from taking advantage of great new opportunities. Habits inhibit changes for the better; they make us blind to the big picture.
Even though I have spent half my life grappling with the topics of change and transformation, I am not immune to the phenomenon of habit. With even the smallest, most trivial of experiences I realise how much we cling to familiar things and stubbornly shun changes. Take my last holiday, for example. For weeks I have been looking forward to my surfing holiday, staying in a hotel where I have enjoyed staying for over 10 years. I reserve the usual „room with sea view“ and look forward to being back in my „second home“. Then the shock when I check in: everything is fully booked, no rooms available with a sea view. Even worse, the only available room is located in the most hideous corner of the holiday resort – with a charming view of the car park. At first I am angry, then I feel frustrated; I want to leave. The receptionist tries to calm me down as I do my utmost to make it clear to her that I wish to speak to the hotel manager. The lady recognises the seriousness of the situation; not because I am insisting on my rights, but rather she is probably afraid that in a few seconds I am going to go for her jugular. I vehemently reject her offer of an upgrade by transferring me to a neighbouring hotel of a better standard. I want only one thing: my usual room. After several minutes of heated discussion, I recognise that the alternative offered is probably the only way to turn apparent defeat into something better. So, seething with resentment, off I go to the new hotel.
Once I am there I have to admit that the upgrade is a dream come true, and I am compensated by the hotel management with many extras, for which I am not even charged. I realise, as I have done many times in my life, how stepping away from the habitual and the comfort zone – often triggered by a crisis – forces a change from the familiar and can represent a great opportunity. Because what happened to me here in a comparatively mundane situation is something I have experienced many times before. Such as when I was stuck in a boring job, sliding gradually from depression and frustration into a crisis, but, thanks to the power of letting go, new and unimagined possibilities emerged. For me this holiday was further confirmation of a universal law of life: every crisis, every disruption is a polite call from life to step out of the comfort zone in order to change a familiar situation and get something better. We just have to listen, to understand and ultimately to take the appropriate Action.
Eine Antwort
Hey Andreas and Team:) Sorry for the typos, sent before have made corrections:)
Excellent story, life can be amazing when we make the decision to let go, what follows are usually miracles we never would have had the chance to experience!
We had a similar story when we were going always every year to Corsica and Sardinia. One year we decided to pick a new location we had never been to, the island of Gillio. We booked everything on line as we have never been there before and really had no idea what for a ride we were in for. Upon arriving the family that was renting our room escorted us from the Port to the location of our residence. It was amazing, direct on the ocean, huge beach and even a cute cozy restaurant on the beach, incredible terraces and lush landscaping. As we were walked to our room we were shocked to find out it was in the back of all these buildings, in a dark corner, covered in moss and mold the garden patio was not inviting at all, as we walked into the room it smelled like mold, it was something I was sure was taken from a horror film, drab, dingy and even scary, cut off from the entire facility on the ocean side.
The look on my wife’s face said it all, and almost at the same time we both said, this was not acceptable and not what the description or pictures portrayed as we booked online, even paying in advance!!! We simply said we would like a refund and we will search another location ourselves, they said they were sorry but there was no other solution. As we returned to the office to pick up our refund, the owner had already been informed and she was waiting for us. She apologized for the misunderstanding and at that time we simply wanted our cash back. It is amazing when confronted with something that doesn’t fit the picture one has in his own mind, how quickly the entire body chimes in with rage, frustration, anger and even as you said resentment, how could I be so naive? The owner said she would like to make a suggestion before we leave. At this point she had found one of the master suites, worth way more than we paid, with an amazing terrace overlooking the ocean and beach. There was one small catch, as we had booked for two weeks, this location was only available for one week. After that she said she would find another solution, but at least the first week we would have a luxurious location, and at that point, not only was I astonished but my anger and all those other emotions started to leave me, and I felt a sincere trust in this woman, her first solution appealed to me and I also did the math, that even if we only stayed there a week, we had gotten our money’s value at the very least.
We of course discussed it together shortly, but came to an agreement that everyone was happy. It was one of the most relaxing and at the same time energizing weeks on the beach we had ever encountered in Italy. Needless to say, the following week they came to inform us that they could not offer the same quality for the next week, by this time I was so happy to have had the experience, I really was unattached to what was to come. We had simply let go of all expectations. Needless to say, the next room we got was a Penthouse with even a better view of the ocean, larger terrace and even two floors, incredible, luxurious, I was speechless! Not only did these two weeks change our lives and taught us such valuable lessons, but we were also able to rescue a small kitten that spent the last week with us, he would always wait for us when we went to the beach and accompany us back home, after several days he was coming into the apartment and staying the whole night with us. He couldn’t have been more that 8 to 10 weeks old. So adorable. Our beach buddies we had met were doctors and they lived in the same complex, they assisted us with getting the proper paperwork taken care of that we could take this stray cat back to Switzerland when we returned home. Of course, we named this kitten Gillio, and he accompanied us for almost twelve years before he got sick and passed away. But he enriched our lives in ways I cannot explain with words! Pure Love, Unconditional, Never Ending!
So, the next time something unexpected comes your way, stop, take a deep breath and ask what is the universe sending you for an experience, and then pay attention, when you let go, how many doors and windows open in that process. Had we have left in the beginning we would never have had such an amazing vacation, met great people and even fell in love with Gillio (our living souvenir) and saved his life, we named him Gillio, like the Island, that that experience would accompany us on our journey.
One decision, in a blink of an eye, can impact your life for years to come.
Pay Attention and Enjoy the Ride!
cYa
Rock