Hallmark Moment

Adam Grant once said, ~The hallmark of an open mind is not letting your ideas become your identity. If you define yourself by your opinions, questioning them is a threat to your integrity.~ If you see yourself as a curious person or a lifelong learner, changing your mind is a moment of growth~ If you think about it, there are times in life where you feel as if you’re in your own version of a movie that is very Hallmark-esque. A movie in which you’re prioritizing your life in such a way by becoming too focused on building a solid future instead of having a social life completely avoiding any sort of troublesome distractions whatsoever. However, it’s those troublesome distractions that are considered a getaway/detour, so to speak, in helping one spend quality time experiencing life from a totally different perspective thus potentially altering/changing their entire outlook/trajectory of his/her life.

As I said before, troublesome distractions are considered a getaway/detour, so to speak, in helping one spend time experiencing life from a totally different perspective thus potentially altering/changing their entire outlook/trajectory of his/her life. For it’s certainly a thought provoking situation indeed to find yourself taking a break from the pressures of a career focused mindset in order to “travel” by tapping into a place you haven’t visited for quite some time, which is your inner child. It’s a place where having fun rather than fully focusing on achieving a professional goal is the much needed destination getaway/detour. Unfortunately, a vast number of individuals have forgotten, outgrown, or simply set aside childish things because they seriously challenged themselves in the pursuit of changing their lack of stability in the following areas of life: friendships, matters of the heart, finances, family, etc.

Without a doubt, due to the challenging pursuit you’re seriously focusing on in regard to the lack of stability in the areas previously mentioned you’ll end up experiencing a face to face encounter, in a manner of speaking, with conflict. Thinking about it further, you can’t help but be either frustrated, annoyed, irritated, and/or maybe even angry when confronting conflict representing issues you find yourself unexpectedly dealing with/facing. Why? Essentially, the aforementioned conflict is a reminder of the reason you were escaping the person you once were and working to reinvent yourself to become someone else. Of course, it’s the quintessential turning point/main catalyst in causing a gradual shift/change in one’s overall outlook on life concerning what matters most. In other words, getting that proverbial gut punch/slap in the face by reality in letting you know to learn from your mistakes in hopes of a peaceful resolution with your past.

Let me ask this question to those who have watched Hallmark movies before: did the happy ending leave you deeply satisfied knowing it usually ended with a romantic kiss for the main character? I think it’s safe to say for a number of people they’re still waiting to experience their version of a happy ending with a deeply satisfied kiss. The question remains though, is it snowing when it happens? Oftentimes, one’s happy ending and deeply satisfied kiss truly represents a different meaning for each one of us and it doesn’t necessarily go with Hallmark’s version of a corny joyful and romantic ending. For the most part, it shouldn’t be an ending at all as we’re the authors of our own script. What it primarily comes down to is all our stories are ongoing, filled with countless detours, mistakes, and strangers/old friends who provide us with fresh insights in not only obtaining positive fulfillment, but a sense of renewed belief as well.

In retrospect, one of the many premises/themes of a Hallmark movie is being given a second chance, especially when things don’t go as planned career wise. You see, there are times when you're unexpectedly taken by life on a much needed detour/getaway that’s good for your mind, body, and soul. Granted, it can be scary but you’re offered/given the opportunity now to cross it off your bucket list without looking back with any regrets or what-ifs later. Ultimately, be grateful and appreciative for the people who you meet along the way going off the beaten path who’ll unknowingly turn your maturely organized world upside down in a chaotically immature way. In the end, every person should make/experience their own Hallmark moment, leaving you thinking or saying out loud with a smile on your face “I did that” instead of “I wish I did that”.