I MEAN, YOU'RE ALREADY HERE SO...

Brittlestar's Really Great Newsletter

I got up.

Moments before the alarm and I turned it off.

I stretched, pulled one leg out into the harsh environment of the hotel room (it wasn’t harsh) and tried to gently immerse myself in cold (it wasn’t cold) of the “not under the blankets” new day.

I had slept poorly.
I had slept poorly because I was concerned about getting up on time to get ready for start of the day video meeting.

I looked at my phone.

The 8:30AM meeting I had slept poorly in anticipation of was cancelled.

So, now I was up.
I woke Shannon up as well.
Misery and marriage loves company.

We had talked about going to the Banff Upper Hot Springs.
We secretly, we determined later, hoped the other person would talk us out of it.

It was -5ºC… the hot springs place involved getting changed in a public changeroom, then waddling to the pool, then getting in the pool, then grimacing as the water reaches parts that are rarely submerged, while strangers watch and judge.

I mean… is it even worth it?

I mean, we’re already here I guess.

Yes. Yes, it was worth it.

It was glorious.
Naturally heated 40ºC water that embraces you while you look at mountains and decide that you’ve been wrong this whole time and winter is actually the best season.

After 20 minutes we felt like we’d been brought back to life.
Years had melted off.

Too often I’ve stood moments away from an experience that I won’t shut up about after and wondered if I should.

Yes. Yes, I should.

I’ve never regretted it.
I mean, you need to operated on a calculated risk basis here. Safety first, etc..
But by and large, anytime I’ve paused to wonder if I should do something, especially when travelling, and then decided to do it… I won’t shut up about it after.

Great, good, meh, bad, awful.
All of them are experiences that I can call my own and add to my compounding knowledge and view on life.
Every damn one of them was worth it.

If you find yourself standing outside (figuratively or literally) an experience that will add more to your life than it takes and (probably) won’t kill you and you have that indecisive pause…

Do it.
I mean, you’re already here.

###

(Pictured: Author stands rejuvenated after soaking in Banff Upper Hot Springs and wonders if they make water-proof laptops)