The Art of the Pivot
If there’s one thing life’s asked of me a thousand times, it’s to change plans at the drop of a hat, whether I like it or not.
I recently took off on the first leg of a two week trip that I deemed my “Goodbye Tour.” The plan was to visit several friends along the west coast for the chance to see them before I uproot my life to replant in Portugal.
My first stop was Portland, Oregon, where my cousin (who’s like a brother) and his wife & kids live.
My last stop was Portland, Oregon, where my cousin and his wife & kids live.
Damnit.
Though there for just one full day, on the morning of my departure I get a phone call from yon cousin upstairs:
“So… Just wanna let you know… Our nanny just called and said she has no taste or smell. We’ve all tested this morning and come up negative, but… Yeah. You probably don’t want to come up here…”
Oh. Boy, that sucks, I think first. Slowly, it dawns on me…
I sure as hell can’t invite myself along to my next visits just to say, “guess WHAT! I was probably maybe perhaps just exposed to Covid! Maybe, but maybe not! Really don’t know. Crazy right? Anyway, here I am!”
Not as a considerate human who wants to keep her friends, anyway.
So, I made plans to return home. But not without eyeing how to carpe them diems first.
With care & no contact, I got myself some food (I did kinda get chased out of the house, after all). Then, considering the 6+ hour drive ahead of me and realizing this could be my last opportunity, I made a pivot.
Driving across town, I got over to Washington Park — a massive expanse of lush Pacific Northwest greenery and magic that makes one of my favorite places on the entire planet. Despite being within city limits, one can easily get lost in there and hardly see a soul, if any at all.
So I happily let myself be lost for well over an hour, my heart full, my soul restored, a stupid giant grin across my face.
Somehow, this was never on my original itinerary.
#1. Mindset
Check yourself (and your baggage).
Attitude really makes everything. Staying calm in the wake of a record-scratch means staying vigilant for new options.
Panic = useless. Frustration = useless. Pouting = useless.
I can’t say that I wasn’t bummed, for a whole host of reasons, but getting upset over which way the rain is falling is a huge waste of time & energy.
Not to mention, no one had done anything on purpose (though they were still very apologetic). This is simply the world that we’re still learning to live within.
By releasing attachment to the outcome, the road is never blocked.
#2. Perspective
In Permaculture, there’s a very important and useful term: “Probortunity.”
That is to say, every “problem” is actually the opportunity to make adjustments, learn new things, shift what wasn’t working, and come away better than you’d even planned before.
Despite what was lost, there were a number of silver linings to be found in backing out of the trip. For one thing, I was gonna save some serious money (have you seen the gas prices…). This is no small deal, as I’m clutching a real modest nest egg to make the move over yonder.
New roads = new rewards.
#3. Action
Sometimes this is the hardest part.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t sit in a parking lot for a while, debating what my options really were, staving off the bummer-dom. All this lovely advice regarded, it still doesn’t always happen so immediately as it might sound.
Redirecting any momentum in any way takes a considerable amount of energy. That’s a fact. Also inertia.
So give yourself the chance to transition, and to have a mourning period if you feel it, because that’s allowed and even necessary. But don’t get stuck there.
If the wind decides to shift direction, adjust your sails accordingly.
Don’t pout. Don’t waste time. Get moving.
New rewards await.
