The phrase “it’s easier said than done” never feels more real than when someone tells you to “quit worrying” and to “stop being so hard on yourself.” Trust me, I rarely give myself a break either. It’s easy to get caught up in your plan and hound yourself until you reach those obnoxiously high goals.

But I’m here to tell you, stop being so hard on yourself.

And here’s why:

Your plans will never be executed perfectly and that’s OK. Life is unpredictable, and you’re lying if you say you wish it weren’t. Plans are not meant to be followed religiously and they certainly aren’t supposed to cause anxiety. But they do. I know they do. I, too, freak out when something goes wrong. Believe me, I understand the frustration.

A wise man told me earlier this week that “plans are boring,” and before I had a chance to defend my way of life, he explained why he believes that. Plans are subject only to your imagination. You can only plan based on your experiences; it is impossible to factor in the unpredictability of life, and that’s a good thing. Life happens and it gives you the opportunity to not only grow, but to experience things far past your wildest dreams.

Think back to the most significant experiences you’ve had. What stands out? I’m sure meeting certain people come to mind, and I’d be willing to bet that certain jobs or acceptance letters are on your “significant list” as well. I’ll even go so far as to guess that maybe accidents or illnesses are part of your life changing timeline. Was any of that expected? Was it all drawn out perfectly and were you waiting for each event to happen at the perfect time?

I doubt it.

If your entire life “goes according to plan,” you give yourself no room to venture out and grow. You will not experience life changing events, you won’t meet people outside of your circle and you won’t be living life the way you’re intended to: freely. You are shutting yourself off to a world of possibilities by refusing to take chances and let life run it’s course.

I know, it really is easier said than done. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told that it’s OK for things not to go accordingly, and that great opportunities will arise that I couldn’t have possibly planned for, yet I still get that awful anxious feeling in my gut when my plan is threatened. But I’m working on it, and you should do.

As young adults we have the responsibility to not only build our lives the way we want to and to make some sort of *loose* plan for the future, but we also owe it to ourselves to live our lives in a *somewhat* carefree manner and experience the world and all it has to offer. I will not say that it isn’t good to have a plan. In fact, I’d be lying if I did…but it is OK for plans to not always be followed.

Like Ms. Frizzle always said, “take chances, make mistakes, get messy!”