So, Pam and I never really thought much about Costa Rica.
We have a long (and growing!) list of places that we want to visit. I don’t know that Costa Rica was on the list. It wasn’t that we didn’t want to go there; it’s that we didn’t think about Costa Rica at all.
Yeah, a few friends had gone in recent years and spoke highly of it. They seemed to be having fun in the pictures. But eh… so many more places that we wanted to go that Costa Rica just wasn’t near the top of the list.
And then the pandemic hit and hotels and resorts around the world were doing whatever they could to book guests. I’m on a bunch of mailing lists for travel sites and my box was getting pelted by travel offers. I handled most of them as I usually did: delete.
Then it came: a travel package to Costa Rica that was fully refundable. Fully refundable? That’s my favorite price! (next to free)There was literally no risk.
Let’s do it!
So a couple of weeks ago, we did.
It was a lovely time. Despite it being the rainy season in much of the country, the weather was mostly cooperative and didn’t get in the way of anything we wanted to do. The people were downright hospitable, friendly and helpful.
It was literally a random email that took us on this journey. And we just did it. We took the chance. We booked the trip. We got on the plane.
I tell you all of this not to rehash our vacation with you (though, if you’re interested, keep your eyes out for posts we have about our trip coming up).
I tell you this because this was the vacation that we didn’t know we wanted.
This is about taking advantage of opportunities.
This is about finding something that you didn’t know you wanted or needed because you took advantage of an opportunity that you maybe never even considered before.
There are so many places in our lives where this is relevant.
Maybe a friend has been trying to get you to go on a trip of your own with her and you’ve been making excuses.
Just get on the plane.
Maybe a job posting keeps coming across your inbox and you’ve been itching to try something new.
Just get on the plane.
Maybe there’s a meetup group in your hometown that keeps having interesting events but you’ve too shy to join in the fun by yourself.
Just get on the plane.
Well, just get in your car. Or on the train. Whatever. You know what I’m saying. Just go.
The point is that sometimes, on the other side of opportunity, is that thing we’ve been wanting or needing.
Sometimes that “thing” is a career that rejuvenates you, or maybe it’s the best friend you’ve always wanted but have never been able to find. Sometimes it’s that love. You never know. Get on the plane.
Let me be clear: I’m not telling you to make rash decisions or take uncalculated risks.
But sometimes we spend more time rationalizing why we SHOULDN’T do something instead of why we SHOULD.
Every now and then, let yourself take the deal.
And if it’s a deal to Costa Rica, then we especially highly endorse the decision. 🙂