Don't take it personally.

As I write this, I am still processing what happened last night. There are lessons in here that have yet to be unpacked. However, in spirit of vulnerability and continuing my writing challenge for the month of May, I am using this opportunity to reflect on what I have learned in the last 20 hours.

In April, I turned in my leased car and opted out for a more eco-friendly transportation option: an electric standing scooter. I made the investment in the scooter back in 2019 after an incredible trip to Atlanta, where I got to zip around on Limes throughout the city. My proximity to the Reston CDW office made it worthwhile investment, as I was able to significantly cut down on travel time to and from work. With little reason to lease a car as a result of a drop in travel during COVID19, the choice to go car-less was natural and easy.

Since turning in my car, I noticed tremendous benefits of this new lifestyle:

• I was more prompt, as I had to bake in extra variables that could impact my time of arrival to commitments. This meant I was avoiding the frenzy of rushing, which ultimately contributed stress to my life.
• I was able to be more present with nature; slowing down allowed me to enjoy the flowers, the sunshine, the scent of spring all around me. This alleviated stress and allowed me to practice gratitude for a slower pace.
• I was more mindful of my grocery shopping. One can only fit so much into a cooler backpack, so my food waste dropped and I saw improvements in my eating habits.
• The list goes on and on...

For the last month and a half, I have been scootering to my local metro station to grab the train and get to the rock climbing gym. Knowing full well that it's quite easy to nab one of these - they only weigh 75 pounds - I was crafty with hiding my scooter out of sight, behind a pillar, next to a utility station in a parking garage, on a deserted level (no cars, means no witnesses). This strategy worked for a while, until last night.

I got back to the garage to find my beloved electric friend - stolen.

It's 11:30 PM on a Tuesday night, amidst a gas shortage and Ubers are outrageously expensive. I was so shaken by what transpired, I decided to walk home to figure out why this happened to me.

In the grand scheme of things, this is a fairly minor impact on my life. In the moment, however, I was distraught. The scooter was my primary means of transportation, and now I was walking five miles home, in the middle of the night, tears streaming down my face. However, that walk was probably the healthiest thing I could have done for myself.

My first action was to call the police and file a report. If this happened to me, it can happen to someone else. I've seen an influx of them on the road and - admittedly - they're easy targets to scrap for parts. Awareness is key to prevention.

After that was taken care of, the thoughts flooded in.

Why did this happen to me? What could I have done better? It's my fault. I feel sorry for myself. What am I going to do now? How am I going to get around places? Am I going to buy another scooter? My feet are getting blisters as these shoes aren't suitable for walking long distances. What was that in the bushes?! Who did I cross to get this karma dealt? Why would someone do something like this...

I recently read a book, called The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz. The second agreement is: don't take anything personally.

After my wallowing in self-pity session - witnessed only by the soft, newly-emerged cicadas crawling all over the sidewalks - I had to consciously remind myself that it had nothing to do with me. Whoever stole the scooter was only looking out for themselves, choosing this unethical way to survive in a tough economic time. There's a glimmer of compassion and understanding when we stop taking things personally. Doesn't make it right, but it removes you from the emotional attack. In fact, I was moderately impressed that this culprit was clever enough to discover my secret hiding spot on Garage Level 4.

The next lesson I learned from this experience was to stop throwing money at problems. This is a vulnerable one to share, because this is an area of recalibration for me. My father brought my mother and me to the United States in 1992, fleeing a country that had little potential for a bright future for our young family. I grew up witnessing what it was like to save, be conscious with money, and make smart financial decisions to build a better future. Unfortunately, some of those lessons have fallen off in recent years as I attained a certain level of financial success. It became easier to pay for convenience, rather than make more conservative decisions. This, in turn, resulted in an unbalanced approach to my financial health.

I perceived this as a test and was now faced with a choice - to throw more money at this problem like I have done in the past, or learn my lessons and adapt to the situation. I decided that no, I was going to look for alternative solutions prior to making an impulsive financial decision. After all, the metro station was further away than any other location I frequented, so I can always walk or take the bus. This is when I realized that I still had an incredible bike I purchased when I lived in Philadelphia, which was collecting dust in my parents' garage. Granted, the tires are now flat, it needs much TLC, but I have all the tools at home to bring it back to life. How could I have forgotten?

Old me, would've just gone on Amazon, ordered another $1,400 scooter, and called it a day. New me took time to look at all possibilities to solve my problem. This is a dimensional lesson because it required me to slow down and look for the best option for the situation, rather than the easiest option. I see parallels of this lesson in my work, too; I'm currently in the midst of a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt project where we are reviewing a process and identifying quick wins for improvement, prior to considering a substantial financial investment. This approach has allowed CDW to continuously improve and grow, while being in a strong financial position to survive the challenging times experienced in 2020. Duh - it's right in front of my face...

My goal with going with the electric scooter was to eliminate my - unnecessary - monthly car payment, insurance payment, toll payments, and gas expenses, while being more environmentally conscious, healthier, and a beneficiary of a slower paced lifestyle. The bike accomplishes that, and more - time to get those leg muscles working again! And I avoided spending additional money that I can now allocate towards something else.

I am still a little sad about what happened, but can confidently say I have transmuted an unfavorable situation into something positive. When something "bad" happens, it's okay to experience temporary feelings of self-judgement, self-pity, anger, hurt, sadness - use those feelings to propel you towards a better tomorrow. Remember in those moments that taking something personally is to punish yourself for the wrongdoing of someone else. Life isn't perfect and everything that happens to us is a learning opportunity. Forgive what happened by gaining something positive from the experience. Always look for a better way and bring your best self forward.

And when in doubt... go for a quiet walk in nature. It will help you clear your mind.