A Surprisingly Easy Decision

“Life is not wonderful without surprise”

“没有惊喜的生活并不精彩”

~Xiao Dejun

That is one of my favorite quotes. There is something special about the unexpected. Of course, always hoping for the good kinds of surprises but acknowledging that even the tougher ones can bring (force) growth to our lives that might not have been possible otherwise. For this post, however, I’m focusing on the unimaginably good kind.

As many of you know, I am a huge fan of the Chinese band, WayV. It is also my honor these past couple of years to volunteer with one of their largest fan-run fan-clubs. Getting to put my skills as a copywriter and music DJ to work brings me great joy. After several years of loving and supporting WayV’s music, I started to wonder if I’d ever get the chance to see them perform live in a full concert. Although I keep high hopes that they will eventually bring their solo tour across the seas to places like the US, Mexico, and Europe where they have very passionate fanbases, currently their touring circuit remains focused in Asia where they work diligently on promoting and growing as a group. This is a good thing and what I see as an important steppingstone in their evolution of gaining recognition as a world-class band.

Still, with fingers crossed, patience has been my good friend as I wait and hope for the day they announce a true world tour.

You can imagine my surprise when a few weeks ago, a friend and fellow WayZenNi (that’s what WayV call their fans) messaged to say she had two extra tickets to their concert … in Yokohama, Japan. Honestly, I normally would have debated for a few days, wavering on how in the world I would get myself to Japan on such short notice and then probably ended up declining in the end.

Have you found yourself in a similar spot? You want to say yes so badly but all the reasons you should say no seem way more relevant and practical. That little inner voice is bent on you staying in the risk-free zone. Meanwhile your heart is patiently waiting for fear to quiet down. Smiling its gentle smile and whispering encouragement. It knows you’ll eventually figure it out. (I truly believe this.) And guess what? Sometimes it’s just gonna be a no. That’s okay. Another thing I believe strongly is that things happen when they’re supposed to … as long as we take an active part in our own lives (and say yes sometimes!).

But how do we know when to say yes??

I remember reading that one of the ways we can learn to use our instincts / intuition / gut feelings for decision making is by paying attention to how we feel in those situations. It is said that when faced with a tough decision, and are unsure of what choice to make, if you experience true feelings of fear and anxiety, those are your body’s signs signaling choices to avoid. Whereas if you feel calm, peaceful, or excited about the choice, that’s when you can trust it’s the right one.

As my friend’s offer came through, I felt a surge of calm joy. Ah-ha, my intuition was speaking to me. Without hesitation, I responded to my friend that I would love to use her two extra tickets. I said a prayer of thanks and added a wish that everything would somehow work out.

Just like that, with generous and gracious help from my family, the trip of a lifetime, which included finally getting to see my favorite band perform, became reality.

In the weeks that follow, I will share about the concert itself (something so different and fantastic that I didn’t know it was still possible in this day and age) and also about my beautiful, unexpected and unforgettable trip to Japan.

For now, I think I just want to encourage you to listen to those feelings of calm joy when they show up, however unexpectedly. I hope reading about this small example of mine can be helpful to any of you who are also on a journey of learning to trust yourself. Until next week, I wish you more gentle and clear paths to follow and easier choices to make.

Thank you for your time today!

With love,

Carlene