My new motto for 2024 …

Source: Me, Friday Happy Hour with my Husband (HHH)

With the start of this new year, I’m already sensing that there is going to be great change. It comes with every new year, I suppose, but this one feels like it’s going to be a lot. And that can often be good if we approach it the right way.

I have lost colleagues and friends. Heard about health scares. Witnessed struggling parents. Discussed mental wellbeing. Felt pressures at work. And it’s still January.

My husband and I were recently on a trip to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. It was glorious, mostly because of the people we met along the way including everyone at the restaurants, bars, shops, and hotels we frequented. They all made for just a lovely experience. We were so grateful, especially for one particular waiter we met along the way.

The hotel we stayed at was particularly magical and we kept getting the same waiter at the restaurant every day/night when we stopped in for a coffee, or a cocktail, or a snack, or a whatever. He was as equally fabulous as the hotel and no matter what we asked him, as in:

“Could I get another glass of wine?”
“I’ll have the margarita pizza.”
“Could we see the dessert menu?”
“I’ll take the cheese plate.”
“Could we take this bottle up to our balcony?”
“Can we come here and get a latte in the morning?”

No matter what we asked, no matter what we said, his response was ALWAYS:

“Why Not?!?”

The first few times we chuckled but then we started just asking things to hear him say it. “Why Not?!?” became so liberating. I mean “Why Not?!?” … because if you can’t do it on vacation then when can you do it?!?

Why Not?!?

We’ve now adopted “Why Not?!?” to life and to work. Go for it, because you might not get another chance to go for it. Unless I can give a solid answer otherwise (which sometimes I can) then I say “Why Not?!?” and I go for it. Especially if it’s about spending time with family and friends, coming up with an extra idea at work, having another cupcake, or watching the next episode of a streamed tv show.

Or as pictured above, having a nightcap with new friends we met at a bar.

Why Not?!?

Thank you for the fresh new outlook, our waiter-friend from vacation. You gave us a gift. What’s your experience? JIM

"Why Not?!?"