Last year I began a traditional for my family of a Mystery Day. A Mystery Day is just as it’s titled, a day of mystery. I had my family set aside a day for us to spend together, told them what kind of clothing they needed to wear, put everybody in the car (with lots of snacks as we are snack lovers) and drove to a destination unknown to them. It was such an amazing, wonderful day. This year we are continuing the Mystery Day tradition. There are two rules. One is in setting a Mystery Day aside you need to tell the others it’s for a Mystery Day. The other is if you plan you pay.
Yesterday one of my daughter’s organized a Mystery Day. It was so much fun! NOTHING went according to her plan. NOTHING! She was going to take all of us to a Syracuse – Duke basketball game in Syracuse that she told us began at 4:00pm. Once she saw ticket prices and knew her budget she involved us in decision making because we would have been in the nosebleed cannot see the game section. We decided to go to a bar with giant tv’s, get some drinks and food. What a great compromise. I realized one of my friends lived near the bar and my family had not seen her in many moons so I asked if she and her family could join us. Of course they said. After I contacted my friend the Mystery Day planning daughter found out the game was at 8:00pm, not at 4:00pm. What to do, what to do🤔 We decided to head out to the bar because we had a commitment with my friend and her family. Yes, the Mystery Day planning daughter was at the receiving end of some good natured jokes! At the bar/restaurant we went to head upstairs with the giant tvs. No can do as there was an event. The place was packed. We left. As we were walking to the car talking things through we decided to give it another go and went back in. We found a table in the bar area that was available, had a great server, my friend and her family showed up. It was a wonderful night of fun and food. The “planned” mystery day truly became a mystery day.
Seems to me each day is a mystery day. We can think things will occur in a certain way, at a certain time, with certain people. In reality what we think and expect will happen does sometimes. There are other times where everything unfolds in unexpected ways. While there are so many things we cannot control in life. What we can control and have choice in is the manner of how we respond and react to the knows and unknowns. When the unexpected comes we can refuse to adapt and participate OR we can become problem solvers, compromisers, give things another try with a spirit of adventure and curiosity.
Albert Einstein said “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious”
For unexpected occurrences that are painful and crushing require a different approach. In those situations actions like deep breathing, reach out to your supports, be kind and gentle to yourself, take care of your body, listen to your body, give yourself permission to say no, pause before you speak, and keep hydrated. If possible distance yourself from the situation and handle it the next day. Take it one step at a time. Sometimes urgent is not urgent. Think through how you want to respond in a positive, empowered way that is good for you.
So smart, crafty, amazing person when the unexpected mystery comes your way, and it will come your way, consider approaching it with curiosity and adventure. Tap into your growth mindset which “thrives on challenge and sees failure not as evidence of unintelligence but as a heartening springboard for growth and for stretching our existing abilities.” Stanford Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck
I am planning our next family Mystery Day for April 25th and it’s a good one! Until then I live each and every day with curiosity and adventure for the mystery it holds.
May your Mystery Day be with you💜
Photo by Photo by Alessandro Bianchi on Unsplash
