“Never get complacent with your girl, man.”

 

When I moved to Chicago from West Palm Beach last August, I was excited for change.  Although in West Palm for just a year, everyday life seemed monotonous.  I filled my closet with clothes from the same stores each shopping trip.  Ate the same salad (or burger…) at the same restaurants when I dined out.  Ordered the same beer or glass of wine at the same bars every weekend. Ran the same route early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid the death trap that is South Florida’s humidity.

I had a routine, and I was comfortable with it.

However, with routine comes complacency.

With a guy I don’t talk to anymore in a city where I no longer live, I learned a great life lesson from a cashier in a liquor store.  While at the counter paying  for our beverages, I started to hand the gentleman my debit card.  My friend insisted he pay for both of our purchases and handed his debit card to the cashier while I put mine away, insisting that wasn’t necessary.  The cashier’s response to my friends action took me by surprise.

“Never get complacent with your girl, man,” the cashier said, shaking his head.

”In relationships, life, anything,” he added, handing my friend’s debit card back.

My first thought was why was this man working in a liquor store when he knows the meaning of the word ‘complacent?’

My second thought was the cashier wrongly assumed my friend and I were dating.

My third thought, the one that has stuck with me, was how true that statement was he made that Saturday night in late March.

Never get complacent.  Never get too comfortable.  Never forget why you are where you are and what you’re doing there.

It’s so easy to get into a rut and let life literally pass you by. Take people up on their recommendations of certain places or things to do and switch it up! 

For my West Palm friends, run across the bridge to Palm Beach instead of staying on Flagler and gawk at the beautiful houses on your new route.  Actually, go to Guanabanas and paddle board for an hour and skip the run.  Be sure to mention you’ve never been before, so they give you a map!  Save your pennies (ok…dollars. Multiple dollars) for sushi at Echo instead of your normal place. Go to Roxy’s on Sunday night and listen (who am I kidding…DANCE!) to the Spazmatics.

I could go on, but you get the gist. 

Since I’m new to Chicago, I haven’t had this problem yet (alright, it’s quite a bit bigger city) but don’t wait until the cashier at your liquor store points out the obvious to you.

np