“Don’t dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energy moving forward together towards an answer.
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I chose to see it as a positive thing. The bags will come to me where I am staying, with less effort on my part, and it's a fab excuse to buy a new outfit or two.
I made sure it had none of my valuables in and I had photos of it on my phone. It also had a tag with my details attached and my name written on.
A mix of being prepared for the worst and ready to see the good in everything meant I left the airport smiling instead of stressed.
Having an emotional reaction won't bring it any faster and it could rob me of some of the joy I get from arriving safely into Kerala, ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
There was a time of my life when something like that would have made me super stressed, and angry. It would have ruined my experience and I would have been wracked with worry.
I am so pleased that I am not.
How did I manage to stay so calm and not lose my sh*t when my sh*t had been literally lost? I have worked hard to see all events as opportunities in a universe I trust to take care of me. Opportunities to grow from challenges, opportunities to change direction, opportunities to practice calmness in the face of adversity.
Meditation each day and a regular yoga practice build a foundation of training my mind so that when times of crisis come, I surf the wave that may have once had the power to pull me under (metaphorically only, I'm a terrible surfer!).
Jon Kabat Zinn, the person who brought mindfulness as a medical practice to the western world, said a very similar thing. The problems in life will never stop coming, but how you respond to them doesn't need to be the same every time. Managing difficult emotions is really hard, it takes a lot of work and sustained practice. I bet you I still won't get it right everytime. But it's important to take note of your accomplishments however big or small they may be. For they are evidence of your evolution, which is nothing short of magic.
It shows me how far I've come and how much I love the person I am becoming. What is the trait you are most proud of developing?