Today started our trek to Kenya. It wouldn’t be fun if stuff went smoothly, right? My team and I hung out in the airport all day finding time to get to know one another more and just be before taking off to Kenya. Upon time for boarding I find out that some of my team may not have seats because the plane was over booked. I am a firm believer that teams tend to carry the atmosphere the leaders put off. Eventhough there were those who were a little worried, Neal and I knew that things like this just happen. It’s definatly someone’s fault that the plane was over booked but what good would it have done to get all worked up? For those wondering, the answer is NOTHING! To my suprise I turned around to find my team praying about the situation already. Dude…awesome. Throughout talking to Cho Justin at the desk 500 times and walking to a reception desk to get a complimentary hotel for the night I realized a few things about attitude and the choices we make.
***This is my team and some creative painting they did.***
While waiting at the desk I watched a handful of people stand around waiting anxiously for a seat on this flight. Then that announcment came; “Sorry folks, we can no longer take any stand-by passengers. Sorry for the inconvience.” Everyone’s face was just so down and they walked away rejected. This one lady thought she’d feel better if she let out her frustrations and tell us all that this was the sixth time she couldn’t get a flight. Cho Justin called me up and said how sorry he was but there was just no more seats on this flight. He handed me some paper work to take to another desk full of people to retrieve a hotel room and some food vouchers. SWEET STUFF! Here too, I watched people get anxious or upset at the people behind the desk. After standing there for about an hour, myself and two teammates are now hanging out in our hotel room, anxiously awating our new flight to Kenya.
While we were walking to our shuttle to take us to the hotel a few thoughts hit me. First I thought about how nice everyone was that helped us. Cho Justin even came to find us at the other desks to make sure we were getting everything straight. The lady at the second desk told us all the good food places to eat at and gave us exact directions to find our shuttle. Then I thought how ridiculous the lady was for getting all worked up at Cho Justin and storming off to the help desks. It hit me how much my attitude affects things and people. Everyone at the desk was so glad to help me because I was patient and not grumpy. With every person I talked to I had a choice…to either let the situation define me or allow me to define the situation. In me choosing to define the situation today allowed other people to do their job more willingly. It allowed my teammates to trust me and follow me. Also I realized how much I control my attitude. I don’t typically have attitude issues but this just hit me today as I walked all over Atlanta airport with two amazing women figuring out our adventure. Everything is a choice. Your choices influence and affect not only yourself but EVERYONE around you.
And side note one of my teammates found ten dollars on the sidewalk!
So tomorrow we take off again, Kenya bound!!!!
