Life is very up in the air for me and Phillip right now. Everything from where we will be in two months, to our careers, to my health, to our finances is unsettled.
Normally this would really freak me out. I love, love, love to plan. I’ve been writing affirmations and goals since before I could drive. I have professional training in creating and executing a life plan for goodness sake.
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The thing about all the planning is that many times, correction, most of the time, things work out differently than you thought. The plan is an illusion of control. A mind trick we play to help ourselves think that life could turn out exactly how we wanted it to.
Plans build focus. Yes. They provide motivation. Yes. They give you direction. Sure. But, they also set expectations, and when life inevitably veers from the plan, that creates stress.
What if Mr. Cambell was right? What if there is something waiting for me that is beyond all of my expectations? Could I let my plan go to see what is waiting for me?
That is precisely what I have been working towards. On October 19th, as Phillip and I were celebrating our ten year anniversary over dinner, we talked about what the next ten years might be like. This was the first time in our marriage when we really weren’t sure, and the grace was there to make that OK.
What would it be like to live each moment as if you were opening a book for the first time? You have anticipation and excitement, but you have no clue what the story will be yet.
Living without a plan is an interesting space to be in. It has certainly decreased the stress that could be overwhelming right now. Though our book hasn’t been opened yet, I’m resisting the urge to guess what is inside. Whatever is waiting for us, I know that it will be exactly as it should be.
Ultimately, even when plans are made and things turn out differently, there is always beauty, gratitude or a lesson to be found in any story that unfolds.
Have you had to let your plans go?
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