What I Learned From Missing The Trip Of A Lifetime More Than Once

Some will say I attracted it with my negative separation anxiety

Others will say it’s just dumb luck

Many have said I should have known better

Some will have sympathy

Others will be jerks

But I am thankful for the lessons I’ve learned already by missing the trip of a life time.

First some background information

Recently I had planned to visit Paris, France with Tonya Leigh. Tonya is a master at cultivating experiences for women that embrace the feminine. Women who have travelled with Tonya and learned to French Kiss Life have called it the single most important trip they’ve ever taken, life changing. What makes this trip even more special is this was my do over.  How lucky was I to get a 2nd chance at a trip of a lifetime?

Nearly 3 years ago when I booked this trip the first time, I think I was so worried about leaving home I caused myself to get too ill to travel.  That was then.  You see, I have major separation anxiety when I leave my family and have for years.  Even in college it was an issue.  I’ve missed too many work trips to count because of this.  It’s a real thing and I’ve been working through it. As worried as I was about leaving Halianna this trip I was over the moon excited about getting another chance to go on this trip.

When you travel with Tonya, it’s a total exercise in trust for a self proclaimed control freak, like me. Tonya’s VIP concierge provides a packing list and takes care of your every need.  BUT as Tonya’s guest we don’t really know what is planned for us. Tonya plans specific activities that are top secret.  We don’t even know what they are before we go.  Each night an itinerary is placed in our hotel room making us aware of our next day’s adventure.

So there I was, two suitcases and a Louis Vuitton full of beautiful clothes ready to embark on my second chance to French Kiss Life and I ran into the most unexpected turn of events. Despite having a current passport I could not board the plane, because I needed to have more than 3 months left on my current passport before it expired and I did not.

Normally when things go wrong I am a fighter.  My motto for life is get knocked down 99 times then you get up 100 but as I stood in that airport I sobbed.

Despite getting a letter from Senator Bob Corker (thank you Senator Corker), talking to the Foreign Relations committee in Washington, DC (thanks MOM) , and Tonya’s amazing VIP Concierge Aimee talking to the US Consulate, it was clear I could not fly out.

Although we tired for another 24 hours to make it work, it was not meant be.

I cried
I pouted
I cussed
I did not French Kiss Life
I have devoted the day to coaching myself.

Here is what I know for sure. 

I can’t control what happened.
I do have control over how I respond from here.
I can be an example for myself, my daughter, and others in spite of being disappointed
I will go on this trip at some point and it will be epic.
I will not let this experience mean anything about me as a person.
I will never let my passport be less than a year from the expiration date.
I will learn something from this.

And the remainder of the week I spent speaking French with my mom who was visiting and helping out while I was scheduled to be out of country.

In every moment you can decide how you want to feel. I choose to feel blessed and abundant.

This is me with my beautiful clothes dumped back out on my bed and now I will unpack and move on. But I am not unchanged.

C’est la vie

Le joie de vivre is how I am going to live. ?

Moral of the story for you and your business is no matter how difficult or disappointing building a business can be, you’re always in control of how you allow it to make you feel.