I like to wake up everyday and know exactly what I'm doing, with whom, and at what time. To-Do Lists and written out goals prevent my blood pressure from rising, and having an organized schedule each day keeps me calm. You know what that makes for? A boring day. This summer I found that the best days are those with surprise introductions, casual run-ins and unexpected fun. I'm a planner to my core, but if you read my previous blog post, Serendipitous Spontaneity, then you know I'm trying to chill out. I am a creature of habit, that I am certain, but there's something refreshing about the unexpected, the changes in plans, and the adventure of a new day. As I said before, it's been truly serendipitous letting go of the reins and living the adventure.
However, plans are not exclusive to the short term. As a 20-something recent college grad there's an inherent stress that sets in. What am I going to do now? 5 years from now? 10 years from now? If you fall into the same category, you know that unsettling anxiety that pops up every time someone asks, "So what are you plans for the future?", "What's next?", or, my personal favorite, "What's your life plan?" Newsflash: I no longer keep a Life Plan. I've had about 30, and each dissolved long ago for something better to take place.
During our 9-hour roadtrip to NYC, a podcast about life plans played. The narrator highlighted the fact that most people aren't on Life Plan A anymore. Plan B is gone, too. Most people are living Plan F or later. And that's okay. Sometimes we get so caught up in forcing Plan A to work, that we lose sight of the amazing path that may lead elsewhere.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to be a passive participant in my life, just letting things fall by the wayside in hopes that it all brings itself together someday. That's no good. But what I will do is follow wherever the path may lead, even if that means taking a route I didn't even know existed. My life is so different today from when the year began, and as a result I am more content and joyful than ever. Everything has fallen into place in its own perfect time, better than I could have ever laid out myself. I can only imagine (but I won't try to plan!) where I'll be in two years.
Each time my intricately detailed plans derail or awry, I will refuse to see it as a failure. Instead, I know it's my life autocorrecting and God telling me "I have something better in store." This new attitude has enabled me to become more flexible and more open to the adventure of each day, and to the rest of my life, whatever it may bring. I like waking up and wondering what today has in store. Why? Because whether I attempt to plan every minute of the day, I'm going to end up at Plan F anyway. I might as well lose the stress, be open to opportunity, and enjoy the ride.
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