Life Lessons
My six years as an Airbnb host came to an end last last year.
I decided it was time to move on to a different chapter.
Six years and hundreds of stays have taught me a thing or two.
Sure, I've been yelled at for not having the right hangers, spent hours cleaning spaghetti sauce from the walls after a toddler's tantrum, and even rescued a grown man from a spider web on the front porch.
But along with the drama, there have also been some amazing life changing moments that I wouldn't trade for all the toddler spaghetti incidents in the world.
š And the fun part is some of the best lessons from my hosting days translate seamlessly to the work I do now. Here are some of my favorites:
Setting clear expectations makes all the difference. You can't be disappointed if you agreed to it in the first place!
Responding in a timely manner even when you don't have an immediate answer is critical to building trust with another person. Even when you don't feel like it.
Actually caring is apparently very rare. When you do this, people notice, they remember, and it will come back to you.
Proactive communication is a gift to everyone involved. And, sometimes, especially yourself.
People often aren't looking for perfect. They are looking for what was promised to them (go back to rule #1 about setting clear expectations).
Some days I really miss being a host. Prepping for weekend check-ins and meeting new friends -- it added purpose to my life and made things a little more interesting.
But one thing I don't miss is the constant requirement to be attached to my phone.
No more late night phone calls about getting locked out of the bathroom or frantic messages about not being able to find a corkscrew for midnight wine. I can sleep easy now š
ā”ļø What are some of your favorite life lessons that you use in your work today?