I’m good at worrying. Lots of practice. But most of what I worry about  never happens and I’ve wasted all that precious time.

Before the trip to Argentina, I began the morning with my typical pattern—to worry about the first thing that could possibly go wrong.

“What if Teresa is late?”

Teresa was giving me a ride to the airport because I wasn’t sure I could get an Uber or a Lyft at 6AM on Christmas Day.

Teresa is probably the most reliable person I know. I cannot imagine a scenario in which she would be late unless she were in the back of an ambulance. 6AM isn’t even early for her.

So, on this trip, I decided to flip my worry to a positive: “Things tend to work out for me,” and keep a written record of all the things that worked out, as proof of how unreasonable my worries are.

Teresa was not only not late, but early. I’d gone down to the condo lobby 15 minutes before the pickup time. She was already there.

◼︎ Worry: What if there’s no space for my bag in the overhead? Reality: I boarded quickly and had a whole bin for my bag.

◼︎ Worry: What if, during my 10-hour layover in Miami, they don’t let me in to the Admiral’s club? (I misread it and assumed my pass was good only on the day of purchase: 12/22/2025). Reality: the pass was good for one year from the date of purchase.

◼︎ Worry: What if I can’t find the right terminal in Miami? What if I get lost? What if I get there too late? (Seriously? Given a 10-hour layover?) Reality: my gate was moved to just a few over from where we’d landed.

◼︎ Reality: On the 9-hour flight from Miami to Buenos Aires, I slept.

◼︎ Reality: I was able to find the bus station at the international airport in Buenos Aires for the domestic airport, 90 minutes away. I had the right fare. I rode the bus. I got off at the right stop.

◼︎ Reality: When I stood to exit the bus, a woman behind me called out “Señora!,” alerting me that the brand-new sweater I’d tied around my waist in the 90-degree heat had fallen off and was almost left behind.

With all this supporting evidence, I carried the mantra, “Things tend to work out for me” along on the trip.

There was an Uber driver to take me back to the airport. I was able to find a wifi connection to pay him. When I checked in for my flight to Miami, the app asked if I’d like to upgrade to business class. The price made it an easy yes.

I’d never slept lying down on an airplane before.

“Things tend to work out for me.”

Chewing the Cud of Good

Thankful for the trip of a lifetime with an incredible group of women, a great friend, and two outstanding leaders.