Demoted.

It was a writing on the wall that I had been ignoring for the past few months. Sometimes you know what’s around the corner and there is not much you can do about it. In fact, even one of my fellow coworkers and I had talked about, he had hinted the same, as he had to deal with this last year. He had even suggested talking to my manager about it and see if I could get some help.?

And then the dreaded day arrived.

Earlier this week, I was to travel to India to visit my mom. I arrived at the check-in counter, confidently handing over my credentials, only to be met with patronizing smiles and shrugs. "I'm afraid your status has been revoked, sir. You'll have to use the regular line." The regular line? Why was I to suffer the endless queues and painstaking security processes meant for the masses? This couldn't be happening, not to me. In total denial I searched my email and found this unread email for me.

So, I as found my way back into the regular check-in line I couldn’t but stop thinking about the days of being ushered into elite lounges, tasteless but endless buffets, boarding at my own pace – everything seemed like a distant dream. The attentive staff who once doted on my every whim simply turned their backs, blind to the elite I once was. I could now only board when my zone was called. This couldn't be happening, not to me.

I was demoted.

I know this is the era of pink slips and layoffs, but this post isn't about actual demotion at work. This rant was about a different tragedy - losing my airline frequent flyer status during the pandemic travel lull. My deepest apologies for the confusion! though it was intentional. ????

In fact, this whole rant was really just an exercise in provoking thoughts about how incredibly entitled we can sometimes allow ourselves to become.

The reality is, we should not only be prepared for the inevitable ups and downs of life but try to embrace them with a positive attitude. After all, losing my premium airline status is a small hurdle in the grand scheme of things. Who knows, by the time I grind my way back to frequent flyer distinctions, I may find myself looking back at this "demoted" experience as sign of a healthy re-calibration of my perspective, patience, and gratitude.

By maintaining a lighthearted perspective and finding fun in every situation, this could actually renew my sense of wanderlust!

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, when the airlines hand you pretzels, well just enjoy them ??

I hope you enjoyed this light post I wrote while still recovering from my cattle-class travel blues.

#fun #mindset #positiveattitude