THE SASSY SYNCHRONISTIC STUFF OF SIMPLY SHOWING UP
#Minimalist meanderings
Recently in the quaint country of Romania for some work, I experienced some (well SEVERAL) sassy synchronistic stuff unfold as I allowed the special energy of this beautiful city take over for a while. I was staying in a flash 5 star hotel as a guest of my host in the country (Sassy #1 – having been delightfully upgraded from an already wonderful 4 star hotel as upon checking in they were renovating that back part of the hotel and a band had extended their stay, so they had no room at that Inn and so they “moved me” to the ooh la la Radisson on the front) Ooh I love that I believe in unexpected delights!
Sassy #2 – there were strelitzias basking on the new concierge’s desk at check in. Hello South Africa. The Radisson was also directly opposite the main concert hall near the old walled city, and 2 days later I discovered there was a special concert on THAT evening. How?
I had been gifted a three-hour private walking and driving tour of the city earlier by my hosts, and we happened to go inside the concert hall to view it’s historical magnificence when we stumbled across some deeply inspirational choral practice whilst looking up at the domed ceilings with awe. Sassy #3 – My amazing tour guide mentioned there was a very special concert on that evening – nudge nudge wink wink.
Sassy #4 – we then landed up in front of the “palace” that was built under Communist rule, now the seat of government. My host proclaimed, that although being Romanian she had never yet been inside or had the tour, and that sadly you need to submit your passport at least 24 hours before in order to get inside. We were marveling at it from the parking lot. Then she gets a twinkle in her eye and says- shall we try and get in? She made a phone call to a friend who works inside, and even though he WASN’T working that particular day he said – go to the entrance and they will allow you to visit today! My host and guide both decided I was their lucky charm, making everything so easy and effortless.
I started feeling a bit lousy in the afternoon after returning from the tour, and had taken myself off to bed for an afternoon nap, contemplating the concert that night. 35 minutes before the start of the concert, I knew I would regret not trying to get a ticket, so I dragged myself out of bed again, splashed my face and added a dash of lipstick, walked across to the “late sales” booth at the side, and stood in a long queue.
Mmmm bed seemed very appealing again. Waiting, slowly.
I saw a very well dressed elderly gentleman standing near the queue for the 15 minutes I was there and kept wondering what he was doing? He wasn’t talking to anyone, but kept trying to motion to them. I kinda felt sorry for him. As I got to the front of the kiosk, they told me they only accepted CASH> >>>aaaargh I only had my card.
Cash machine here? No!
Tickets were 75 leu and I had only 40 leu cash on me. Damn. Maybe the other Hotel across the road could convert my foreign money, as I knew my own hotel didn’t do that. In Romania what is weird is that all the hotels only work in Euro’s, as it’s now part of the EU, yet all the local shops and establishment still use Romanian Leu, the original, local currency. It’s a tad confusing.
That Hotel also had no local money for me and the banks had closed ten minutes ago.
Eventually after 10 minutes – with the show now starting in ten minutes, I found a cash machine, realizing it would dispense in local currency. DUH! Now, a little weird travel lesson from South Africa. We are considered a slightly “dodgy” country, you know because we look and sound just like Nigeria where most of the money laundering in the world happens. Every time I leave SA I spend about an hour on the phone calling my two banks and getting all my business and credit cards cleared for the countries of my travel, otherwise any foreign transactions might be deemed fraudulent transactions. And even after doing that time-consuming clearance, they can still decline transactions when I’m overseas. So I have multiple cards with multiple options so as not to get caught out.
It took me three cards to be able to draw cash from THIS Romanian machine!
Right – dash back, sweating and huffing to the queue, now with less than 5 minutes till show time. Old man still there. Sassy #5 – He shows me a ticket and says “you for one?” He seems to “imply” he has a ticket (in very broken English and of course I am 200% fluent in Romanian) so I go to the kiosk lady and get her to verify the ticket is indeed valid as there was no date on it (that’s how their special season tickets work apparently) and he says he wants only 60 leu for it. B for bargain, as the tickets were originally 75 leu.
“COME” he urges, “we late”.
As we are walking and running up the stairs he manages to convey to me that his wife is home and ill and this is her season ticket – pretty good communication hey? We walk into this uppermost concert room and I gasp. OMG – vast, bold, exquisite and ornate. Everyone dressed to the nines and I am transported to ancient Eastern European grandeur.
Sassy #6 – He proceeds to walk to the FRONT ROW. I am front and centre and can hear the musicians breathe as they are warming up. In and out, deep and crisp and even. And the faint squeak the violin string makes before the haunting sound is emitted across the air. I can reach out and touch the conductor as he sashays to the front and lifts his baton!
I can see him twitch and sweat beads form on his brow.
Front row tickets for simply BEING in a city on a night and being willing to show up. I am in awe of the magic of life.
Too often we try and PRE control and PRE book. I believe there is a place for that, but I do love the magic of being in the moment and letting life unfold! FRONT ROW SEATS UNFOLDS! Sassy #7 -The next morning as I head outside to my taxi back to the airport to leave for Greece to run a writing retreat, I see the music conductor sitting in the hotel lobby. Already half way through the revolving door, I make a split second decision to do the full 360 degree circle and get out where I started. I walked up to him, apologized for interrupting his Sunday morning with his female companion, shook his hand and said how marvelous it was that I had enjoyed the privilege of being in the front row the night before. “I remember you, madam, thank you” he said, smiling and eyes twinkling.
And that is how I love to travel.
Do you need to start letting sassy magic unfold in YOUR life? Perhaps I can share some of my methods with you over the next few months?
Last week, I had 90 minutes to “kill” before meeting a dear friend for a mutually soulful chat and had gone early to make sure I was in the right place. So literally killing time, wondering where to go to I was just meandering along in my Russian hat. This “random” guy, bit older than me, Kevin to be precise, stop and says, “I know this is weird but I have (Sassy #8) “time to kill” before making my way to my theatre show tonight with friends and may I buy you a cup of coffee. You look really interesting”. I shrieked with laughter, looked a little shocked and amused at the same time and promptly tuned into my spirit and said yes. I KNOW some of you are reading this with many many “WTF is wrong with you Kate!!!” going round in your head.
As we sat and chatted and told each other a bit about ourselves, (and please let me re-iterate with zero weirdness or innuendos or sexual undertones whatsoever) I was telling him about my new book being released this year helping clients to get really clear on the complex emotional issues of detaching emotionally from a home before putting in on the market to sell, and to support people to sell, pack and move with ease. He just looks at me and smiles – he is about to sell his house and it’s a potentially complicated story with the house and…..Sassy #9 he ALSO works for a well-known estate agent in his town. Now – here’s the rub – I am I the process of looking for potential “brand partners” in the whole property industry, alongside “guinea pigs” to keep working with the material to give me feedback on how it all works for them. Social proof if you like. So this sassy just tickled me pink.
And then there was today catching a bus on a sad, dreary day from Rugby – saying goodbye to my mum on the side of the road just as the light was just coming u, I start chatting the the guy waiting for the bus with me, also headed to Heathrow Airport. Sitting across the aisle, we simply chat about where we are headed and why, and spend the next two hours chatting about work, life, beauty therapy, making brave bold choices in life and business and following our dreams. He landed up Sassy #10 – lugging my suitcase between the buses whilst we waited for an hour and he bought me a mug of tea and became my companion for a while on the road. We even landed up looking at his new brand logos for his business.
Yep, I speak to strangers and I let my trust in people, the world and what we are all doing here seep into my soul at every turn. It’s all to easy to shut off, shut down and shut up. How is that working for YOU?
Call me crazy, call me naïve, call me mad. Or worse. I call it “THE SASSY SYNCHRONISTIC STUFF OF SIMPLY SHOWING UP”. And I mean showing up with trust, openness, love, compassion and your wits about you at every turn. Let life and people surprise the hell out of you, shock you and win you over. Yes, it’s a bit of a dare!
WANT TO FIND YOUR OWN VERSION OF SASSY?
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If I can help you do that as smartly as possible, then you will have some starting points to let yourself meander and BE. And that is good for ALL of us. My mission is to help you find your own SASSY and SHIFT!
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With lightness,
