Perspective is an interesting thing.

Last weekend was an introspective big picture on perspective. I was tested.

I was coming home from LA, and was scheduled to take a 6:30 am flight out of Los Angles International Airport (LAX). If you have never been to LAX in the morning, you had better brace yourself when you do. It’s like the road to nowhere. It’s the ol’ hurry up and wait in the biggest way, with security lines that are longer than Golden Gate Bridge.

That’s why I knew I was in trouble.

I was staying in Newport Beach, Calif. —  about a 75-minute drive to LAX. When I hopped in my cab outside of the hotel (which was pre-arranged by the hotel front desk) all was good. About a mile into the drive the driver said, “John Wayne Airport?” This is a local airport in Santa Ana, very close to where I was staying, but offers no direct flight back to the East Coast. I informed him, that no, it was LAX I was after.

You know how you get that feeling in your gut, like, “Oh, crap, something’s not right.” I got that feeling. The driver after hearing LAX shifted in his seat a bit. I thought, well it is before 4 a.m., so we have plenty of time, but I’m pretty sure his face just tightened up.

I pulled my laptop out, started working and decided to re-direct my focus.

I looked up a little later when the driver rolled his window down getting prepared to ask for directions. Darn.

He got lost. I was late. I missed my fight.

Okay, I can deal with this.

I tried stand-by, and was ready to hop on the next flight. Or the next. Or the next. But, flight after flight, there was no room! This dance went on all day. I finally got on a flight, which had me on my doorstep just before midnight.

Now while I was at the airport, I had to put things in perspective big time because by the time the third stand-by didn’t work out, I started getting frustrated. Okay, let’s call it downright ornery.  

I stopped what I was doing and thinking and told myself … seriously? Get a grip! You just had an unbelievable weekend. Learned a ton, met amazing people and are now part of a great mastermind, which will help me to leverage my ideas to better help others. Deal with a little upset and things not going your way. Just deal.

I ended up re-framing my mindset and spending the day totally focusing on work and connecting with people with whom I haven’t contacted in a good while. I also had the time to check in on a friend who was hospitalized that weekend, which meant so much to her.

All of these calls and re-connecting lead to a plan. You just never know.

DrKellyann.com heads to New York

I just left New York after spending the afternoon looking for a studio, which I very well may have found! This is going to help me help you in a big way.

It’s just the craziest things happen when you put things in perspective. If I had spent the afternoon being frustrated and angry, none of this creativity or inspiration would have happened.

Bottom line: When you declare blessings in your life, you see an explosion of goodness (thanks, Elena … I adore you)!

And, the next day when I opened my luggage and saw that someone, somewhere (hmmm TSA) … seemed to have a trunk show that I wasn’t invited to, I needed to remind myself of perspective in a big way because half of my clothes and my makeup bag were gone! I guess having my luggage sit there all day was just too tempting. I suppose I’ll find the items on EBay?

I declare I will never check a bag again.

Try this exercise this week. When you start to get really frustrated about something, turn frustration into fascination. Discover how to use these moments to really gain perspective. Keep it in check, you know? Becomes sometimes things can really suck.

Keep thinking big and living bold!

-Dr. Kellyann