Work Trip

November is the time of year when everything becomes a blur of parent teacher conferences, report cards, holiday preparation and reflective thinking in preparation for the upcoming new year. I found myself caught in this redundant and turbulent whirlwind as the date for our biggest conference of the year quickly crept up on my iCalendar. Mentally frazzled but very excited, I packed my belongings for a trip to New Orleans, anticipating the things I love about my job- meeting new people, making connections, and managing our social campaign.
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​I can’t say I remember what I packed, when I packed, or even how I got to the airport. This was a time of real exhaustion for me. But two significant experiences enhanced my trip to make it really amazing- my flights and my hotel stay.  I know, I know, what is so special about the flight and the hotel stay?  Most people don’t really put much thought into these as “experiences” unless they’re thinking retrospectively about something negative.  Most of us think about our flight and hotel as vehicles to get us to our important meetings or a place to leave our stuff while we explore somewhere really cool.  But for me, on this trip, my flight experience and my hotel stay made my work trip even more relaxing and enjoyable.
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#Mood... Wishing I could actually do this & be away for a couple hours... So tired. □ #workingmom #mommyproblems pic.twitter.com/6EyyRS3JJA

— Mom of All Capes (@MomOfAllCapes) November 15, 2015

@MomOfAllCapes You're not like a regular mom, you're a cool mom! Where ya headed this morning? ^DH

— Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) November 12, 2015

After a pretty seamless boarding process with Southwest Airlines, my coworker and I found seats together and prepared ourselves for take off.  Everything was going well and we were now able to use our electronic devices when I remembered...I forgot to pack activities for the flight. I had nothing to do. No music, no books, no games.  I use streaming services for music so much, that my iPhone has nothing saved on it. So I sat there… this was the first time in as long as I could remember that I had NOTHING to do.

It was emotionally jarring at first. I watched my coworker listening to her music with a bit of jealousy. “Ok, Ok, I can’t stare at her the whole flight. Oh wow they have wi-fi. Look out the window, these clouds are amazing!  Look there are magazines!”. Somehow, sitting with “nothing to do” for the majority of my flight ended up being amazing.
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Initial excitement

Failure... not good at following directions

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We get to the hotel and grab a cup of complimentary coffee, head up to our room, and then over to the conference center to set up. The conference was a blur of successes for our company and each night my bed and shower were a welcomed reward for a job well done.  I often think back to the last morning of my stay.  Because of the time difference I woke up at 4am CST. I lay in the bed thinking about seeing my kids again and handing them the t-shirts and souvenirs I bought them during my quick touristy bouts in the French Quarter.  I decided to take a really long shower that morning. I said to myself, “In 24 hours from right now I will be interrupted by toilet flushes, foul smells, screams and unrealistic requests from miniature people and a whole host of other motherly needs accompanied by tears. I'm thoroughly enjoying this shower too much”. In this moment the water rushed over me and I was quiet.
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In between networking, getting leads, and executing our campaigns, I was able to get out and about in the French Quarter and on the Riverwalk. Here are few things that captivated my senses while there:
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​Work trips are quite infrequent for me. In fact I take maybe 3 per year out of the region I live in. But I try to use each trip as an opportunity to think about what I'm most thankful for... My family... My children. My health. My job. I was able to reflect on how much these blessings mean to me because of how peaceful and welcoming my flights and hotel room were.  I returned home to the confirmation that I was not dreaming about the peace and tranquility that Southwest Air brought me in my trip to New Orleans and safely back home.  Walking up to my doorstep was an awesome surprise! ​
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I was having a bit of jet lag but now I'm excited again! @SouthwestAir you made my day so much! Thx❤️ #Transfarency! pic.twitter.com/ig9K7pdXj4

— Mom of All Capes (@MomOfAllCapes) November 17, 2015

When traveling I encourage you to position yourself to miss your kids.  Fly on an airline that relaxes you. Sleep in a hotel that invites you, and reserve the in between moments for reflective quiet. That way, when you get back, you’re refreshed and ready to hear about the millions of things you missed while you were away and thoroughly enjoy those stories with a refreshed and benevolent spirit.

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