One day not too long ago I was rushing to get my son to preschool before an appointment. As we were walking into the building, I realized I didn’t have my keys in my hand. I brought my son to his classroom and got him settled in, then returned to my car.
Yep, it was locked. And, yes, the keys were in it.
My first thought was (surprisingly): this is supposed to happen this way (because it did).
I went back into the school and called my friend and neighbor, Stacy. She was home and willing to get my spare car key and bring it to me.
I sat outside the school on the curb, waiting and feeling grateful that I had a friend I could call at the last minute to help. Shortly after that Stacy arrived, gave me my spare key, and headed back to her day (thanks, Stacy!)
I got in my car, called and cancelled the appointment I couldn’t safely get to on time, and headed out to meet a coaching client. I ended up being a few minutes early and had time to relax and prepare for the session without any stress.
I realized that, with that first appointment, my morning schedule was overcrowded and stressful. Without it, my morning was relaxed and productive.
Yet another lesson from the Universe: don’t over-schedule yourself.
I’m glad the lesson was served up on a beautiful summer morning at a place where I had access to a phone and a helpful neighbor. There have been other “lessons learned” that were a lot more painful than this one.
I like to think, as I get older and more experienced, that I pay more attention to lessons like this one. I only have one life and I want it to be as joyful and fulfilling as possible. There will be many days in this life when I will feel compelled to over-schedule myself, but, barring crises, I’m going to try to keep to a pace that allows me to stay present and enjoy my mornings, my days, my life.
What lessons have you learned lately?