Opportunistic

My client flagged me down as I was leaving his office. In an afterthought, he floated the question, "Hey. I have a trip coming up. Would you like to go to... (pauses to remember where)?"

Without hesitation I answer, "Yes."

He laughed - at my impulse, at his momentary lapse in remembering that I'll go anywhere, at the goofy grin on my face.

I added, "You could go to the middle of nowhere, & I would say yes." Upon pondering it another minute, "I am an opportunist."

He laughed again knowingly. "This is true. This is true."

Even in the middle of nowhere, I can find awesome opportunities to explore. I can discover people with stories to tell. I can take more adventures. I can gain new understandings of myself & a fresh perspective of the world. Not to mention, in the above example, I get to do a job I love.

I strive to keep myself open to opportunities as they arrive & arrive, they do - mostly unplanned.

In Augusta, GA, I was introduced to the growing food scene by a local. In Charleston, SC, I met with several locals who steered me through the nightlife & cooked an amazing bowl of homemade grits on a rainy day. In Grand Rapids, MI, I met with a new friend one afternoon for coffee & chatted as if we had known each other for years. In San Jose, CA, I hiked with a new friend & enjoyed our company so much that we spent 24 hours in Santa Cruz shortly after.

You don't have to travel to uncover these opportunities - although it's one of my favorite ways. When a friend asks to carve out a morning for coffee, accept it. When you see an ad posted on the board at the library that appeals to you, go for it. When you spot a workshop that interests you, take advantage of it. When that new, foreign restaurant opens
on the corner, try it.

The ultimate beauty is that you not only enjoy the awesomeness of *that* experience, but it often leads to yet another opportunity. It's an endless flow of possibilities. The only question is...

Are you going to go for it?