Hello! I am writing this from my hotel room in Sydney, Australia. Whoa! Australia! I’ve been here for four days now and I still can’t believe I’m in Australia! I can’t even write it without exclamation points! When I originally booked my tickets for Sydney, I was supposed to be here with a work friend and figured she would encourage me to go out over the weekend since my inclination is always to stay home. As it worked out, her visa never came through so she had to cancel her trip. After my moment of panic passed, I promised myself that I would spend all of my weekend going around to ensure I made the very best of being here. I am delighted to say, I’ve held my promise! In the last 48 hours (it’s Sunday night here in Sydney as I write this) I have visited:
- Circular Quey
- The Rocks
- The Taranga Zoo
- The Sydney Opera House
- The Botanical Gardens
- The NSW Library
- Art Gallery NSW
- Hyde Park + Archibald Fountain
- Bronte Beach
- Tamarama Beach
- Bondi Beach
- Bronte to Bondi Coastal Walk
- Darling Harbour
- Chinese Garden of Friendship
- Sydney Sky Tower
- Weekly Intention: This week is a bit crazy. I start the week here in Sydney, I fly home on Wednesday at 7am and I have a bunch of meetings on that day, I have to then pack and head to Boston that very same night at 11pm for the redeye. We get in Thursday am and then have a long drive to the ferry and then another drive from ferry to Jake’s home where we hope to vacation for a few days and then turn around and do the ferry, driving, etc all over again. I am very much looking forward to the vacation but expect Wed+Thursday to be relatively tough. My intention is to be as kind and easy as I can be to try to keep things as smooth as possible and to go through this week with a lot of grace.
- Choices I want to make:
- One: I will choose to continue be present in this moment and take each challenge one at a time.
- Two: I will choose to be graceful and kind. Both to myself and to everyone around me. Especially Jake and the kids.
- Three: I will choose to be present to the moments of magic in my life. To notice how lucky I am to get to take all these trips.
- I am looking forward to: hugging my kids and my wonderful hubby in just a few days.
- This week’s challenges: I have this 14 hour flight which is during the day so not conducive to sleeping followed by a full day at home with work and then an overnight flight with two kids. Somewhere in there i have to sleep and pack, too. It’s all going to be okay.
- Top Goals:
- Work: I would like to build more relationships while I am here so I can be more effective when I am back.
- Personal: I want to stay positive this week. Be kind. Be patient. Have faith.
- Family: I want to kiss and hug my kids and Jake a lot lot lot this week, too!!
- I will focus on my core desires (kind, strong, true, generous, brave) by:
- I will be kind to everyone, especially on that very long Wednesday.
- I will be strong and remind myself that I can do this. It will be 1-2 very long days but then it will be over.
- I will be generous with with my patience. I can do this.
- I will be true to who I want to be. Bring out and hold on to the very best version of me.
- I will be brave by going through this with kindness and love.
- This week, I want to remember: That I am lucky to get to vacation with my family. To get to go to special places. That I love and adore my inlaws and I am so happy that my kids will spend a lot of time with them. That the short term pain will be worth it!
Here’s to a wonderful week!
How awesome that you saw so many things in Sydney and were brave enough to do it alone when your work friend’s visa fell through. Best wishes for a good finish to this trip, safe traveling and getting rest wherever possible during the tricky middle of the week, and a wonderful family vacation.