Grounded

This past month has been uniquely different from my last few years as a football consultant in India.  There was a point that I was on an airplane every few weeks visiting a client, trying to secure new business or organizing an event.  The drive from my office or apartment in Gurgaon to the Delhi airport, the awkward half-hug goodbyes to my driver and the flurry of elbows I would throw to stop airport line-cutters from achieving success were all weekly norms and, at times, I would get exhausted and wish for just a little bit of a break from the road. Heck even the dosa guy at my favourite South Indian restaurant on the first floor of the domestic airport got to know me by name and also remembered that I love filter coffee with my combo meal but only during morning flights.    

Well, I finally got what I asked for as I have been “grounded” this past month. Part self imposed and part company imposed as we have all felt that it was time to take a full inventory of the past 4 years of Libero Sports, re-connect with our organizational objectives and enter 2015 powerfully aligned as a team.   Thus, most of my office days have been sitting through strategy meetings downing cups of masala chai while surviving the always painfully surprising wrath of the Delhi winter. 

The scary part of this whole “stay-cation” is that deep down I’ve actually enjoyed this time not being on the road.  Yes, at times, I miss going out for Goan fish curry with colleagues after a long day of meetings or spending time at the Liverpool FC Academy in Pune or staring out the window of a taxi at the mad streets of Kolkata as we rush from one football club office to another.  But, overall, I really enjoy waking up each day, sitting down at my desk and having the opportunity to focus on the big picture rather than day to day tasks and trying not to die on the road (literally).  Not sure if that means I’m maturing or getting older, or both.

In all honesty, I strongly believe in balance.  And while being on the road is something I truly love as it allows me to explore myself and the world through the sport that I love, I also love a bit of structure, stability and rest.  This past month I’ve been able to wake up by 6am most mornings, practice daily meditation and yoga and enjoy my colleagues and out of office friendships in a much deeper way. Yup, I’m definitely sounding like an old man.  

So that’s it. Yeah, I know, it's pretty boring post. This is what happens when you are grounded for too long, you get dry. I promise more cheesy and overly positive posts soon as I foresee some cool trips coming up right around the corner.