In the last six months, I have started living what I would consider to be a much more spontaneous life. Around January I decided that I needed to stop overthinking and start doing things that half of me thought was crazy and the other half of me still wasn't totally sure about. I came back from winter break with a terrible back injury that was hindering my ability to do almost everything and it was constantly frustrating me.
After 28 doctors' appointments, I was recovered and ready to take life by storm. I started by saying yes to the little things: taking a break from homework or study sessions to randomly grab coffee with a friend, staying up or out with people when I really should be focusing on a quiz etc. Those were the seemingly little steps that were going to lead to a very big transformation.
By the end of February, I was focusing on myself and surrounding myself with the people I wanted to be around, re-kindling relationships with people I needed and I revamped my relationship with Christ and started working on strengthening my faith. I stopped prioritizing the planning of every hour of my day and started focusing on the things that were going to make me happy and focusing on the opportunities that were popping up out of seemingly nowhere. So instead of being stressed out by spontaneity, I started embracing it.
Within a short month of shifting my perspective and embracing everything spontaneous I started enjoying life a lot more. My stress levels were much more manageable, my class work seemed easier, my relationships were flowing smoother and overall I felt happier. I started saying yes to things I would hem and ha about and overthink. By saying yes, I found a new church here in Boston that I can call home, I made friends with people I thought I would never click with, I started writing for Odyssey, I booked a trip to Canada to visit my best friend, I was blessed with a dream job for a big player in the music industry and completed my semester with all As. Now, I sit here writing this article, from Canada, after attending the Tori Kelly and Third Story concert, which I spontaneously got tickets for three hours before the show (and yes, it was beyond words incredible).
I am happy. I have learned that yes, thinking my choices and opportunities through is important, but hemming and hawing over them, overthinking them and allowing self doubt to creep in can quickly diminish the joy that can come from random things. It can close off doors that were meant to be opened by you and it can harden your heart. Be spontaneous. Say yes to things that you may normally shy away from. Do not let the fear of the unknown hour, minute, or year discourage you from living in the moment. Enjoy the opportunities that come your way. Live in the moment, make your memories and be spontaneous, for you never know what could come of it.
