Take aways from my trip to Napa

I just got back home from a girls trip and it was everything I didn’t expect!

You see, a friend and I booked a trip to Napa and we were both very excited about our first experience in “wine country” as well as the wine tours and hiking that we were going to experience. We had both gone to great lengths to coordinate childcare, take off work and make travel arrangements. It was a trip that both of us were really looking forward to and extremely grateful that it was becoming a reality. That is, until it didn’t....

You see, parts of CA were on fire which was causing road closures, power outages and poor air control. We double checked with the travel agent as well as the staff from the hotel before we boarded the plane and everyone gave us the green light to come out so we followed our plans. We landed in San Francisco and began our exploration of the city before getting on the road to “wine country”.

While shopping for some souvenirs for our children, we got the call that the wineries had cancelled the tours which meant all of our other plans would be cancelled as well. So, we decided to cancel our hotel stay in Sonoma and make the most of our trip by staying in San Fransisco, but it turned out to be a little more complicated. You see, due to the fires and power outages, many people were stranded and seeking power and ALL of the hotels in San Francisco were sold out. We were in a strange city, with spotty reception and no guarantee of a place to stay. Our travel agent had gone home for the night and the one hotel she booked for us was closed due to power outage.

Thankfully, my friend knew someone an hour outside of the city and she offered us to come stay with her. She too had been without power for several days and was home alone with her 3 children trying to make due with their iced down groceries and lack of heat or hot water.

This series of events is when I really started to see the power of the mind, because my friends story was “this is an absolute nightmare” and “I am so disappointed”. But my story was a little different, I just kept thinking “it will work out” and “this is quite the adventure”.

I am not sharing this as an opportunity to take sides or to prove that one way of thinking is right or wrong. I am sharing this as an opportunity for you to see that the exact same circumstance can be interpreted in a variety of ways. As I think about how the brain works, it is clear that my friends way of thinking that our situation was a “nightmare” was creating feelings of disappointment, fear, worry and it was certainly affecting her ability to find any joy in the moment. I on the other hand, had the thoughts of the experience being an “adventure” so it created feelings of suspense and curiosity.

Again, there is no right or wrong, but simply as observation of how powerful our thoughts are. These situations help me see the fact that all circumstances are neutral, but the thoughts that we create about the circumstance is what generates the feeling.

So, if you are experiencing something in your life that you would describe as a “nightmare” or you simply want to feel a different way about something, how do you shift your thinking? Are you aware that a shift is even possible?

Well, I’m here to tell you it is. The mindset work I do with my clients helps them identify the thoughts that are creating their current results and then learning how to focus on thoughts that lead them to the results they want. This sounds simple right? It is, but it’s sometimes very hard to see your own thoughts because they are so habitual and automatic. So this is how coaching helps people. Where there is awareness there is power, and where there is power there is confidence.

I’m telling you what, I think this coaching method has been magical in my life and I am thrilled to share it with as many people as possible. If you are feeling like you need some help shifting your mindset around obstacles in your life, I’d love to help! Book a call today to see if coaching is just what you are needing to create the results you are dreaming of.

In Love
Kristie