It is almost 9 years ago to the day that I gave the opening keynote at a business management conference at UC Santa Barbara. I flew in from New York the day before to get somewhat adjusted to the time difference, attended a dinner for attendees that night, and settled in to the Best Western for the evening.
It wasn’t a good night. I tossed and turned for most of it. First of all, the pillows were as hard as bricks. It was impossible to get comfortable. Also, it was the first time I was presenting this keynote and I felt the need to run the 45 minute speech through my head all night. And that, along with the pillows, all contributed to a restless night.
Ugh, how was I ever going to get through this?
But, of course, I did. The adrenaline carried me through. Once I stepped off the stage, however, the exhaustion caught up with me.
One of the organizers approached me during the break that followed to congratulate me on a job well done. When I mentioned I would be heading back to LAX to fly home later that night, she suggested I stop for brunch at the Boathouse restaurant on Hendry’s beach, just steps from the Pacific ocean.
I successfully navigated there in my rental car, promptly ordered myself a big Bloody Mary, seen in the above picture, and congratulated myself on getting through the presentation despite my jet lag and lack of sleep. Whew!
After a few sips, I took a deep breath. The sea air was both comforting and invigorating. It was truly a glorious day.
Suddenly, the keynote, the conference, my insomnia and jitters were all behind me.
I looked around.
Mountains on one side. The majestic Pacific before me sparkling in the August sun. I was transported to paradise. And it wasn’t just the alcohol…although it might have helped a bit.
With the new found clarity that can only come with relaxation and the decluttering of one’s brain, I posed a question to myself.
“Why can’t I live in this magnificent place?” I already had a history of living in beautiful places, the Connecticut shore, Martha’s Vineyard, and a block from the public garden in Boston’s back bay.
Thoughts started to fall into place.
Read the full article on substack.com.
Recent Comments