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Hotel India: You Can Check Out Anytime You Like But You Will Never Be Asked to Leave

June 3, 2012 by Christa

View from my hotel room in Munnar, India, at sunrise

” ‘Get out’ is not a phrase in any of our languages. India don’t know that term,” Jose said.

Rob laughed loudly. “Well come to the U.S. and you’ll learn that phrase quickly. We use it a lot.”

“That’s a shame,” Jose replied. “If you are in a restaurant here, no one would ever tell you they’re closed and it’s time to leave. It would never happen.”

And I thought Southerners had cornered the market on hospitality. I was skeptical of Jose’s reply. Actually, I thought he was flat-out lying. Every one has a closing time and India couldn’t be an exception to that universal truth.

In Munnar, Jose took us to an authentic shop to get Ayurvedic massages.

“You can come by any time you like,” said the shop owner.

“What time do you close?” I asked.

The shop owner just stared at me and blinked.

“We can come by later on tonight after our tours?” I asked. A bit more staring and blinking followed. Ha! I knew I’d find a closing time in India.

“Sure, whatever is good for you,” he said.

“7:30?” asked Jose.

“Sure. 7:30 is perfect.”

“Done.”

Jose took us up the mountain to the hotel so we could check in. After they upgraded us to one of the private cottages (just because they could and wanted to), we learned we were going to miss the last dinner slot there due to our massages. (For the record, I felt like a complete jackass for having such a touristy excuse.) The proprietor said it was not a problem. They would hold a separate seating just for us.

“Yeah, right,” I thought to myself. Thank goodness I still had some chocolate chip cookies in my bag for dinner later on tonight.

When we returned from the massages (and that will be a separate post in and of itself!), sure enough dinner and the staff were all waiting for us with a delicious several course meal. I was floored. How could this be happening?

But this kind of scenario kept happening everywhere we went. Once again, India made a fool out of me, or rather I made a fool out of myself, to myself, by doubting her. Jose was right to an alarming degree. In India, they will always leave the light on for you. I wonder what the Eagles would think of that.

Posted in adventure, generosity, India | Leave a Comment »

India Proves That We Can All Just Get Along

June 2, 2012 by Christa

An example of the diversity of India

With the election season fast approaching, we’re already hearing the painful cries of what divides us. Religion, race, political party, ideology, money or lack there of. Anyone from the outside looking in on our politics would think that what divides us will split us apart.

Enter, India.

This photo is one of my favorite snapshots from my trip to India, not because the sign itself is aesthetically pleasing in any way. However, the principle it embodies is a thing of beauty. India is everything. If ever we wanted to see an incredible melting pot, India is it. Its multiple layers of diversity in every aspect of human life are overwhelming. If you are looking for your pack, it is somewhere here in India. You will have to root it out of the quagmire, but rest assured your efforts will be rewarded with like minds who invariably know other like minds. Seek and eventually you will find.

When I asked Jose how so much diversity can exist in relative peace, he was a bit confused by the question. “We don’t judge the opinions of others. We may not like them. We may not agree with them. But we recognize that they have a right to exist. I believe what I want to believe and so can others. All others.”

Not a bad principle to live by. Not bad at all.

Posted in adventure, community, India | Leave a Comment »

Leap: The Day After

June 1, 2012 by Christa

From Pinterest

“What saves us is to take a step. Then another step.” ~ C. S. Lewis

A lot of people take about the day they made a change, a big decision, a new commitment.

But what about the day after? Do they wake up panicked by what they’ve done? Does their conviction grow each day after? Here is how I felt: just fine. Oddly fine.

Sometimes people fear staying too long in a situation that no longer suits them. I believe in my case I stayed just the right amount of time. I got my finances in order, my direction became clear and focused, and then leaping was the next logical step.

There were certainly moments of trepidation and fear. I’m sure there will continue to be these moments. They do pass. I just take another step, and keep going. Today is that second step, the second step on a new path. Of course it will feel rocky and of course I will feel unsure. It is new. It doesn’t know me. And I don’t know it. Yet. But we will grow together.

Posted in adventure, change, choices, courage, creativity | Leave a Comment »

Leap: My New Year’s Resolution Is Complete – I Took the Leap

May 31, 2012 by Christa

From Pinterest

“I am not afraid. I was born to do this.” ~ Joan of Arc

On January 1st, I started down the path that would culminate in a leap from my current job. I thought it would be December by the time I actually made the leap but yesterday I gave my notice and my last day at my job will be June 15th. My co-workers are sad and disappointed as much as they are proud and excited to see me give my dream a real shot at coming true. I am so grateful for the lessons I’ve learned there and excited for the next chapter.

For the past 4 years I have been working full-time as a product developer for a financial services company and now I will turn utilize my experience toward teaching, writing, and creative product development projects, particularly (but not exclusively) focusing on technology in the healthcare and education spaces.

When I graduated from business school 5 years ago, I never imagined that I would contemplate working for myself. I made excuses: I’m too young; I don’t have enough experience; I’ll never make enough money to support myself. They are all valid fears, but there was one fear that was greater than all of these combined. What if I never devote my time to the projects that really light me up? How would I reflect on my life knowing that I didn’t do everything I could to merge my work with my passions?

And then the answer became simple – I have to at least try and that means letting go of what seems stable and secure for the sake of following the path that is most authentic. In actuality, the latter is the safest road. When we put ourselves in charge of our futures, we find renewed energy, strength, and creativity. We understand the true value of our time. We find our greatest worth.

So now as this chapter comes to a close, a bright, shiny, new one begins. Thank you so much for sharing this journey with me, for all of your support and encouragement, for believing that we can all be exactly the people we are meant to be, living the lives we are meant to live. We’re on our way. We’re building our wings.

Posted in career, courage, creativity, dreams | 2 Comments »

Leap: Take Time to Be Curious

May 30, 2012 by Christa

“What we need is not the will to believe but the will to find out.” ~ Bertrand Russell

A company I know recently went through a very large reorganization due to significant changes in leadership. My friends there who kept their roles are being asked to trust the vision and strategy of the new leadership team on blind faith. They are being asked to believe in something that has not yet been proven, that doesn’t even have any results on which to base their belief. In the face of such significant change, this is a tall order.

The company recently surveyed the current employees to ask how they feel about the new strategy. Many felt positive about the changes, though they had a lot of doubt about the ability of the new leadership team to make good on their promises. I smiled when my friends told me that. It is exactly the right answer. We may not be able to control all of our circumstances, at work or in life, but we always have the right to our curiosity. We always have the right, and I would go so far as to say the obligation, to say, “Let’s see how it all unfolds.”

Any time we are going through change, we experience a bit of seizing up. That seizing up can be physical, emotional, or mental. It is just resistance, and we can breathe through it. It’s a very natural part of change. It’s from fear of the unknown. It’s meant as a protective device, though too often it becomes a weight around our necks that keeps us from moving in the direction we’re meant to go.

Our curiosity is a potent tool to use during these moments of seizing up, second only to our breath. When that resistance to change finds us, as it always does, we take a big inhale, then exhale, and then give ourselves the permission to be curious about the outcome. Have the will not to believe that this is the right thing to happen but the will to find out if it’s the right thing to happen to us right now.

Let the questions rise up. Why? How? When? Where? With whom? Dig in to the answers and don’t let anyone tell you that you must follow along simply because they said so. Question until you get answers you can believe in. And if your questions aren’t met satisfactorily, you have the right to walk out and carve your own path. Only you own your time and only you get to decide how it’s best spent. Seek, and eventually, you will find.

Posted in adventure, creativity, curiosity, time | Leave a Comment »

Leap: Forget Time

May 29, 2012 by Christa

Our conceptions of time hold us back. We’re either too old or too young. We don’t have enough experience. We don’t have enough education. We don’t have the right contacts. We don’t have the right skills. We haven’t been at our current jobs long enough or we’ve been around too long to change. We’re too old or too young to get married, have kids, buy a house, travel around the world. We’re too old or too young to create change. We use time as an excuse to not take action. We use time as a way of wiggling out of rising up to be everything we are meant to be.

Time’s up. No more waiting. No more excuses. No more looking forward or looking back. You are have right now. In this moment, we are capable of great change. And it’s true in every moment. Go and be exactly who you want to be. Time doesn’t stand still. Time doesn’t wait for us. But in time, there lives every possibility. Go grab it!

Posted in opportunity, time | Leave a Comment »

Leap: Remembering Our Heroes On Memorial Day

May 28, 2012 by Christa

When I was a kid, Memorial Day was a big deal. Everyone in our small town went to the parade because everyone in my town was somehow connected to the military – either personally or through friends or family. Most of the men had served at one point or another, particularly the ones who were of the generations who fought in WWII and Korea. At the end of the parade there was a 21 gun salute at the cemetery and people always cried during that piece. As a kid I didn’t understand why that was such an emotional moment for so many people. Now, of course, I do. Particularly given our last decade. So much has been given, so much has been lost. It is overwhelming and I am humbled by their sacrifice and courage.

This Memorial Day as we’re chowing down and enjoying the freedom and happiness that is associated with official kick-off of summer, let’s take a moment to remember those who fought for us so that we could have days like this. They’ve so much for all of us for so long. Let’s take the time to remember them, thanks them, and support them and their families.

Posted in creativity | Leave a Comment »

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