Hi Reader,

Ever had one of those days where everything seems to go wrong? Let me tell you about a recent adventure of mine that might hit close to home. Here's a video I made (4m 44s) about a recent experience:

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However, if you’d prefer to read my story, here goes:

Travel Chaos and Frustration

Picture this: I'm on a train into London to connect with an international connection to the Netherlands, when the announcement blares,

My reaction? Complete and utter disbelief. I thought I had planned my journey so carefully.

That delay meant sprinting across London, only to miss my Eurostar to Rotterdam by a mere two minutes!

If you've ever seen Planes, Trains and Automobiles with Steve Martin and John Candy, you'll understand the stress and frustration I felt.

But the drama didn’t stop there. When I finally reached Rotterdam Centraal, my cab driver got lost! Thankfully, a kind local lady helped us find the hotel. Crisis averted, but the stress was very real.

And all this chaos came after an intense week of preparing my People Engagement Masterclass, in making sure it aligned it perfectly to my client’s brief.

A Rewarding Masterclass Experience

The next day, though, was like stepping into another world. The client's venue and their hospitality were top-notch. The team was absolutely amazing—both as a group and as individuals. We laughed, teased each other, and tackled some serious challenges head-on.

I showed them new ways to handle old problems, and they practiced influencing the broader organization and to develop and spot positive outliers. By the end of the day, we felt like friends.

This season has been full-on for me but incredibly rewarding. So much so that I’ve decided to offer my People Engagement Masterclass to more corporate clients. This experience reminded me how relevant and effective it is. Interested? Why not book a Discovery Session with me over Zoom? The link is below.

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Life Lessons and Reflections

There’s another layer to this story. It has been a huge reminder to me about life effectiveness. I saw this whole experience as a real-life case study in embracing life’s seasons.

Before this project, my weeks were more self-directed, driven by systems and habits. I used a technique from my Unburdened journal, setting daily and weekly habits to stay strategic each day, improve my learning skills, and maintain my health.

But here's the kicker: systems and frameworks can be deceiving. Life doesn’t always fit neatly into them. Life has seasons, and sometimes you need to put those systems aside temporarily. And that’s exactly what I did.

I used to create these rigid weekly plans and then feel down when I couldn’t follow them to the letter. But that’s just silly, isn’t it? Recognizing life's seasons allows us to set aside those routines and return to them later without guilt.

One thing that remained invaluable was my Lessons Learned Log. Reflecting on what I’d do differently next time was key—not so much about the workshop, but about the travel planning.

Want to learn more about my Unburdened program? Feel free to schedule a Discovery call with me. Again, the link is below.

So, what’s the big takeaway?

Life doesn’t unfold smoothly. It does not come spread out for us. It has its own rhythms and seasons. To navigate this chaotic world, we need to be realistic and flexible with our systems and habits.

Take care, whether you’re in chaos or finding order.

Warm regards,

Patrick

P.S. Hit reply and let me know what you think!