Elaine Dizon is a Filipinx life and mindset coach, writer, mother of 2, and was recently honored as a Spark Award Winner at AT&T – one of two winners where her work around #peoplecare was recognized for DE&I efforts that moved people past tolerance towards understanding. Elaine supports working moms with their next courageous conversation by churning chatter into courage through a process of pause and reflection.

When you make plans to go to an Airbnb after the holidays and before the new year, you want to leave problems and challenges behind don’t you? I know I did. After a hearty year of change, uncertainty, and ambiguity, it was time to be in relationship with friends and family away from errands, work, notifications, domestic tasks staring you in the face at home, and the routine of waking up shuffling to the bathroom to get ready for the day, walking to the kitchen making coffee and breakfast, and readying the family for another day of school and work. It was time to go on vacation and my mind was on a vacation mindset.

One week before our departure, our party of three families worked out a meal plan and grocery inventory. As we planned, we grew more excited. Yes! A week of snow where we could hang out and the kids can go outside and play – for many of them, this would be their first time with holiday season snow and an experience they can look back on as truly special because normally, there is no snow in the Bay Area of California. On our way to the cabin, we hit a spell of traffic. Icy conditions mean going slow, which we did. We were in a standstill for over an hour to offer unidirectional traffic and then it was our turn. During the wait, one family called us and advised they had to back out of the trip altogether. Disappointed, yet undeterred we sat in traffic and pressed on when it was our turn to go down the icy road.

Arriving at the cabin, we had to familiarize ourselves with the new surroundings. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a great welcome book. There was no firewood for the fireplace, the microwave was not operational, and we had to make do with the food that we brought (chili, cornbread mix, salad, and enough for some breakfast burritos) – this would get us through at least the first day and a half…and hopefully when the second family would arrive to join us on Tuesday. After dinner, we all retired for bed. At midnight, my husband stood in the doorway of our room and bellowed, “BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP” and four beats went by and he barked, “BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP! Apparently, this means there is carbon monoxide in the cabin! I called 911. Get your snow gear on, get the kids and get their snow gear on! We have to sit outside in the truck while the fire department gets here.” Half asleep, I managed to do what he said. When we were all in the truck, my husband said, “If this were a real emergency, I don’t think we would have gotten out of the cabin fast enough.” The fire department arrived forty minutes later and after a twenty-minute walk through the cabin, they concluded the heater may have been putting out fumes after not being run for a while. Their advice, open some windows, run the heater, and you should be ok. Not feeling fully confident in our safety but feeling as if we had no choice, we did what they recommended and woke up the next day without any symptoms of exposure – no headache, nausea, or sluggishness.

Normally, I would be FREAKING out with these bumps in the road of my plans! Reflecting on this experience, I am surprised that I rolled through each hiccup with an open mind and a resolute feeling that all would be ok. More importantly, I never abandoned the vision of my vacation mindset – where the domestic tasks at home were left at home and the routine of the workday would be on pause until I return – and that being in relationship with my family was first and foremost the thing I wanted to do every day at the cabin.

What helped me do this? Being nimble. Responding to each challenge with lightness quickly. Instead of thinking that this is the worst thing that was happening, I was observing my reaction as well as how each of member of my family responded. Each of them rolled with the punches and I was able to match their energy.

We all sat in traffic in wonder – together.

We all woke up at midnight, put on warm clothes, and trudged to the truck – together.

We experienced disappointment that some of the plans weren’t coming to fruition – together.

Each step of the way, we made it work because everyone was glad to be in togetherness and to react in a way that helped us laugh and be joyous because this would not be a vacation if something did not go slightly wrong.

A key learning on this trip is this, be prepared for emergencies even when you are embarking on a vacation.

Double check what you are covered for – roadside assistance, towing, and anything else you might need if you are ever stuck on the road.
Be aware of exits and safety features where you are staying – which means knowing what to do in the event a carbon monoxide alarm sounds off as well as when a fire alarm goes off.
Make sure you have enough supplies to tide you over in the event you are stuck where you are staying.
Be sure to share your travel plans with someone so your whereabouts are known.
Most of all, trust your gut. If it doesn’t feel right, check into it, and ask for support.

If you missed my Find Your Word workshop in December, no worries. With some feedback and prompting, I created a workbook to step you through finding a word for 2022 that you can use as a tool to enable you to shift your mindset from a fixed position to a growth position. One word that can help move your vision from a dream state to a tangible state. To check it out, click here.

Be well, be safe, and be loved.

Your Coach Mom,

Elaine