California Dreaming, Connections and Going with the Flow

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That’s right, two weeks later and I’m still over here “California Dreaming!” Last month I decided to take a long weekend and reconnect with friends living in the Los Angeles area. I’m telling you, they have it so good out there. Waking up every morning to blue skies and sunshine, how can you not be in a good mood?!? But here are two things I learned from my trip:

a.the importance of using the connections you already have

b. learning to relax and go with the flow

I originally planned this trip over a month in advance. It was to be my first EVER vacation away from my child. I have friends in LA and I went into overdrive trying to squeeze it all in. I was a planning machine, filling almost every minute with something. However, things came up and stuff went down, so I had to revamp all my work. A lot was up in the air. I was starting to get nervous. I asked myself, “Do I cancel the whole trip?” Simple answer, absolutely not. As a mom, we easily put ourselves on the backburner. We are always “on.” And not until after this trip did I fully recognize the value not having to be “on” 24/7!

I stayed with my long time friend, Andia, who moved out to LA from New York two years prior. Funny story, we went to middle school together and ended up running into each other, a few years back, on a NYC subway platform. At that time she had just moved to NYC. She is a shaker and a mover to put things lightly. One thing she does very well is she knows how to foster community. She organizes and leads various hikes in the Los Angeles area. The hiking group continues to grow as people bring new friends. Networking and even love connections happen here. I was privileged enough to be able to join in on one of these very vibrant and animated hikes. And the fun part is this dynamic group is diverse with people from all walks of life and different professions. It came up in conversation amongst us, how we all could and should be better at networking within our own circles. We all agreed that in the past we had found new opportunities and jobs through people we already known, and quite often it was indirectly. For example, the brother of a childhood friend knew the CEO of a company a hiker wanted to work for. The hiker originally had no clue the brother knew the CEO, it came up in conversation accidentally. Introductions were made and let’s just put it this way, the rest was history.

Tapping into your own network, this was a reoccurring theme throughout my trip. I kept hearing from other friends about similar circumstances. Why don’t we do this more often? Do we feel like we are not connected enough, that our networks are too “young,” don’t make enough money or don’t have enough experience? I urge you today to really try to connect and network with those you already know. If you’re looking for a job, trying to start a business or just want to try something new, try stepping out your backdoor first and talking to those who are already in your circle. This trip I met a lot of fun and interesting new people. Who knows when I, or even they might need a favor. Let’s not feel like we always have to go networking far and beyond what is right in front of us.

Speaking of what’s in front, that’s what I tried to do during my trip. I tried to stick to what was there available to me then, in the moment. Most of my planning went straight out the window and it was a good thing. I got to reconnect with old friends, make new friends and see some pretty cool stuff. Please understand, I am a planner. It’s in my nature and its not going anywhere, but being able to let go and go with the flow from time to time really does you some good. One of my fellow hikers also realized that leaving space open is also really beneficial if you are trying to go in for acting auditions for example. If slots don’t get filled, go with the flow, hone your craft or take some much needed rest on the beach. Sometimes we need to learn to slow down and rest, so I myself was very grateful for an impromptu hour nap on the beach. That was not in the original plans, but so glad it happened. And by leaving things open one night, I was able to meet up with a friend who invited me to a party. New connections and opportunities are all around us; sometimes it’s just about making space.

La La Land was very refreshing for it’s beauty and sunshine, but mostly as a reminder that I have some great friends and it’s ok to let go sometimes. The world is a lot smaller than you think it is and those friend’s in your circle might possible help you achieve your wildest dreams. But not be afraid if things don’t go as planned. Remember, you can adapt and go with the flow because there might be a party waiting for you around the corner. So here I am back in NYC with that same “California Dreaming” state of mind.

 

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