For as long as I can remember, my life has been planned out in my head. Each day is scripted with what's on my to-do list and I follow my plan as closely as I can. My life follows a pathway I created for myself. There's almost never a day where I don't have something planned out for me to do. And a day with nothing to do is my worst nightmare.
Planning is what gives me control over my life. I enjoy knowing what's next and doing everything on a routine. I don't like spur of the moment decisions because it messes up my plan. I enjoy order and hate chaos. There's nothing wrong with liking order in your life. Order often sets me up to succeed in my tasks and complete my goals. It's a way to stay on track and not forget about all of my hopes and dreams for the future.
But, planning can often distract you from opportunity. Being spontaneous can open doors for you that may have never existed in your plan. It can be hard to let go when you've put so much thought into what you want. There are always times when it feels impossible to make a decision. Letting go of the plan for the day might lead you on an adventure or allow you to finally solve a problem that's been troubling you for so long.
I guess what I'm saying it that it's okay to not have a plan.
I used to have a plan for my life including graduate school and perhaps a doctorate. I soon realized that following this plan was making me miserable. I didn't have a place to live, which stressed me out, I didn't have my books ready for class, I couldn't enjoy finishing undergrad because all I could focus on was following the plan. By doing this I ignored what my heart was asking me to do. My heart was asking me to slow down and relax for a bit. My heart wanted to not worry about the future and just enjoy the present.
I was so distracted by my plan that I couldn't even realize how much I was missing out on. I was miserable during graduation thinking about all that had to be done. I was angry for having to miss my first free summer and all the family trips that had been planned. I was anxious about where I would live and how I could support myself. Being caught up in my plan distracted me from enjoying my life and all of the accomplishments I had made.
While plans are good to have for your life, you have to realize that things change. Sometimes a new plan arises to replace the old one and set you on a greater path. It's okay to not have a plan right now. It's okay to follow your heart instead of a schedule. Just make sure whatever you follow you enjoy doing so.
