Scene One: You spend Labor Day weekend in Dubai with your new boyfriend. He’s a great party companion, and you decide to extend the weekend with him and stop in Prague on the way home to take a client to dinner.
Since your new boyfriend speaks German, he volunteers to interpret for you. But when you get in the cab the first night, he can’t translate what you want to tell the cab driver quickly enough for you, and he’s getting flustered. You suddenly find you’re as annoyed with him as you are with your personal assistant at home. What’s happening?
Scene Two: You’re married now, and your husband surprises you with a much-needed impromptu weekend in Cabo. But when you get to the beach, you can’t spend but about five minutes in that chair under the umbrella and you think you’ll lose your mind. You go back into the room and turn on CNN. Your husband acts puzzled, but you can’t believe he thinks this is a good time to be out of touch with the world, what with Hurricane Gustav racing towards New Orleans and the Republican National Convention just days away. But your inner observer is more nonplused than your husband. Why can’t you disconnect for Chrissake?
You’ve forgotten how to relax, that’s why. There’s a difference between aiming for excellence and letting the pursuit take you over. Two critical red flags are waving in these scenarios, and if you are aware of them when they appear, you might be able to balance yourself before you ruin a perfectly good time.
Scene One: You’re so used to controlling everything about your environment that you’ve lost your sense of adventure. Part of the refreshing energy of time out of your normal life is the element of the unexpected. Of course this isn’t as quick and tidy as you’d like it to be. So what? Your gorgeous traveling companion is speaking in a guttural tongue in a foreign setting. Sit back and drink it in, silly.
Scene Two: If you’re nervous when you can’t be totally engaged, the first thing to ask yourself is, who am I when I’m not plugged in? One of the greatest risks of being an amazing achiever is losing your personal identity. it’s like oxygen - if you don’t feel part of the rat race, you’re nobody. Time to look inward and see if anyone’s left at home.
The bottom line is (and I know you love the bottom line), too much work makes you a dull girl. Wake up, sweetie.
