I love being a tourist in my own hometown. Many of you may be thinking well that’s easy for me to say because I live just a bridge away from a tourist mecca, San Francisco. That may be true, but even folks who live in or close to tourist spots may not take advantage of them. (I know people who live two blocks from the beach and never see the ocean). What I am suggesting is using your imagination to experience your environment in a new way.
Recently my friend Toni told me she was hankering to go to France, but time and budget were constraining the trip. I suggested that we do the next best thing and use our imagination and PRETEND we went to France. Like any good concierge, I wrote up my version of “French Day” in San Francisco. It did require pretending the Bay was the Seine and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art the Pompidou, but for the most part we enjoyed French moments throughout the city. We even bought postcards of Paris and wrote them while sitting in a French café. We had a blast and brought joy to everyone we “enrolled “in the adventure. Every one who took our photo was giggling with delight as we explained how we were pretending to be in Paris. They totally loved our playfulness and enjoyed being a part of the fantasy.
One of the things I talk about in my keynote called “Open The Gate and I’ll Show You The Way,” is the importance of embracing playfulness and silliness for no other reason than to experience pleasure.
Tell me about the ways you have used your imagination to enjoy the area where you live?
Looking for a customer service expert or concierge trainer?
Email Holly or view videos of Holly in action.