1. People love to be heard. In fact, many people really need to be heard. I spent a lot of time listening to folks who probably don't get heard enough. Even I felt I needed to be heard, but I put that aside to listen to the old folks that no one else wanted to listen to. So I ask you, dear reader, how much do you listen to what others have to say? Do you find yourself self-referencing more and listening less? Try to spend a day giving your ego a break and just listening to someone. You'll be amazed at what good you can do by being a sincere and present listener.
2. People will surprise you in many different ways. I found it interesting that only two people asked me what I did for a living and of those two, only one pursued knowing more. Another person, who most people avoided being around because she's such a talker, totally floored me and was right on when she hugged me on the final day and commented in my ear "You really must retire near the water - I saw the look on your face when we were on the lake and by the ocean." Our conversation was totally one-sided so it felt good that she noticed that about me even though she was the one doing all the talking.
3. Customer Service can be tenuous thing - honor excellence! The service we received at the Best Western Executive Inn and Conference Center was the best I've received in a long time. Absolutely better than the Sheraton I stayed at in Reston, VA last summer (I will never stay there again, folks). Their staff was always ready to set things right if something was amiss. They were eager to please and they made this reunion the best ever. If you enjoy good service from someone, tell them. Don't just let people hear about the bad stuff - catch people doing things right and let them know about it.
4. Honor the oldtimers. I'm a total pacifist at heart and don't get me started on the current war situations in the world today, but putting that aside for a moment, I found it really important to honor the men and women on this trip who served during World War II. I took it upon myself to spend as much time as I could talking with these shipmates about their work during the war. They are proud to have served their country and we are certainly proud of them that they did.
5. Nurture yourself. In spite of the fiasco around my petsitter bailing on me, I decided that it was not going to set the tone of the trip. I made it a point to always get my hot bath every evening and give myself a facial and sometimes a foot massage. We all need to find ways to nurture ourselves, especially when we travel. I made sure I still exercised every day and I also made sure I ate good healthy meals. How can you nurture yourself today and every day? Even if it's only a simple 5 minute thing, find ways to nurture yourself every single day. Your body, mind and spirit will thank you for it.
6. Nurture others. Once you nurture yourself, take the time to nurture others. This goes back to #1 above. Engage someone in conversation and really listen to what they have to say. Be in the moment - be totally present for them. Hear them. It will do you both a world of good.
7. Do your best to not work on your vacation. I thought I could do it, but as it turned out, it was a bad idea. The wireless network, though greatly appreciated, left a lot to be desired. It was slower than cold maple syrup - dial-up would have seemed like a Nascar race car heading for home. I don't intend to ever work and vacation at the same time. You can't guarantee the internet service and you can't rely on clients to behave themselves, knowing full well you are on vacation. I had so many requests for work that should have been requested before I left - that was so annoying! So lesson learned - vacations are for vacationing - period!
I may think of more lessons as the weeks go by and I'll be sure to share them with you...
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