The Land of What Ifs... - Tips Of The Scale

I Googled what “LaLa Land” means so I wouldn’t enter this post under any misconception. It means the following:

n. can refer either to Los Angeles (in which case its etymology is influenced by the common initialism for that city), or to a state of being out of touch with reality—and sometimes to both simultaneously

Those who know me well know that I have an Honours Degree in English Lit, three certifications, a professional designation and was on my way to getting my Chef’s license. Is it because I love to spend money? NO. It’s because I love investing in knowledge; learning; retelling what I have learned through experience and not just fact.

If you have been reading me here weekly or on a not so consistent schedule at my personal blog, you will know that I write out of metaphor and analogy. I actually just realized that this morning as I was grocery shopping with my child. And I know now why I write this way: every moment in life is an opportunity to learn something new; a moment to take away even a tidbit of something that you may not have known or experienced before.

So, sit back and relax. Here’s another for you to ponder as you waiver back and forth on the biggest investment ever – YOU.

Explicit Language ahead (most likely)…

I am heading out to Los Angeles in two weeks. Exactly two weeks from the moment this blog posts, I will be sleeping in a rented bed, in a quaint part of town, planning my route out to pick up a good friend I met five years ago through a New Kids on the Block forum online. Life is wonderful that way. New people, like-interests and opportunities to share new adventures together.

Now, while I can imagine myself walking down Rodeo Drive and hopefully seeing some cool Hollywood artifacts in some of the Movie Studios, I have to face the following:

losing out on income while I’m away
not interacting with my clients
not waking up to my family every morning and vegging with my hubs every night watching Season 2 of American Horror Story
not kissing my kids when I want
packing and surely forgetting something
driving to Buffalo at 3am to catch my flight (or drive out super late the night before to crash on a fellow #scalewarrior’s couch)
seven hours of flying
renting my first car
driving in an unknown area
not fitting in to the LA style or way of life
losing my momentum and not go to the YMCA every day to get in a workout
eating whatever my heart wants and not my head tells me

I know I could go on because when we are up-rooted from our hometown, province, Country, we are bound to be missing a little of what we left behind. That journey to get somewhere is sometimes arduous until we are sitting on the beach or on a roof top patio and all seems just as it should be.

Much like my adventure to LaLa Land, sometimes we are stuck on the what ifs in life. My daughter started her red-belt classes this week in karate (a level up), something completely new to her (at least she thought). She sat in front of me for five minutes and rhymed off about a dozen “what if, mom” statements that had me wiggling in my chair. All I could do to calm her down was ask, “What if none of these things happen?”. She couldn’t find a response.

What if you fail?

What if you look like an ass at the gym?

What if you literally don’t know ONE healthy recipe and are doomed to take-out salads with lemon juice and oil the rest of your existence?

What if you feel you can’t do this on your own?

Much like the definition of LaLa Land, sometimes we are in such a state of being “out of touch” with reality, we fog judgement and getting to where we want to be seems impossible.

I could have easily said screw this vacation time, I’m staying home. My biggest worry is money (always). I will be cooking my meals as much as I can and am using a free pass at the Y to work out as I can’t afford anything else! Life would be easier at home. Effort would be minimal waking up Tuesday morning in my own bed knowing it is grocery day with my son; a day of effing around, picking up leaves and stones and then a 45 minute and Boot Camp at night with my client. Night – wake up and start a new day of routine.

But, where’s the fun in that? Shit needs to be tough sometimes. And while all the unknowns and what ifs in the world could literally paralyze us in the NOW, sometimes we need to imagine the new on the other side to get us through the bullshit that holds us back.

I know I will enjoy my drive to Buffalo with time for me and my music (and listening to a few Tips’ episodes); I know I will love sliding into that airplane seat with no effort or embarrassment; I look forward to driving that car along the freeway not knowing where the hell I am headed; I will enjoy every penny-pinching moment because this is a destination of fun and the process, while unknown and a little painful, will be worth it. Because it’s me whose getting me there. That’s pretty cool.

Are your thoughts riddled with ‘what ifs’ and ‘could bes’? If so, Tim, Sam, Dave, Maggie and I are always around to help you. So are the many we have brought in to the Tips of the Scale Family. We would love to be the one to help you through the doubts and get you started.