As I write this post, I am laying back in my hotel bed, head propped up with a half-folded pillow and my laptop balanced on a stomach full of Szechuan-style wontons and noodles.
For me, this is what it feels like to be perfectly content.
After what has felt like the longest, yet fastest-paced day I’ve had in awhile, I rely on these simple joys (YouTube and Asian food indulgences) to keep me grounded and feeling like myself. As a consultant, I find myself walking a fine line between personal growth and personal deterioration. I realize that sounds a bit dramatic, but it’s true — without intentional practices to remain well (physically, mentally, emotionally), you’re apt to just lose it sometimes. Or, even worse, lose yourself.
I have one colleague who is an avid triathlon participant and coach. When it’s warm outside (as Atlanta often is), you’ll almost never find him inside of his hotel room. On more than one occasion, I’ve walked outside to meet my DoorDasher to find him panting and covered in sweat, having just wrapped up a long run. But alas, the smile on his face is undeniable.
Recently, I learned that another one of my colleagues makes an effort to take a dance class every week. It’s become her ritual, and coincidentally, a talking point with clients who happily give her the ‘thumbs up’ to step out early if it means making it to ballet class on time.
Truthfully, I’m still working on setting my own intentions. I tend to spend a lot of time in my own head, obsessing over what I could do versus actually doing it. But I’m getting better. Currently, I’m testing out the Sweat app aka BBG 1.0 by Kayla Itsines (which could be an entire series of posts on its own), saying “yes” to the foods I’ve been craving since the last time I set foot in Atlanta, and doing what just feels right. Yesterday, that meant talking to my grandmother on the phone while walking to get some fresh air, and today, it means a rest day and a chance to reflect via this blog post. Far from the perfect routine, but that’s beside the point.
Consultants aren’t super-human, and frankly, I don’t love the idea that a hectic, unbalanced lifestyle should be worn like a badge of honor. What I do admire is the simple notion that everyone, regardless of circumstance, deserves to be able to experience the small joys and an accompanying sense of contentment.
Which brings me back to my Szechuan-style wontons and noodles. But mainly the wontons. So, without further ado, please find multiple reasons why you should check out Gu’s Dumplings in Atlanta (i.e. photos I’ve copied and then inserted from various Yelp reviews).
Danielle Hanes 