I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT….AND I AM SO EXCITED!!

I’m a planner, I plan everything, I believe if pushed I could present a very strong case for why I should win the award for ‘Planner of the Year’. If someone says to me ‘lets go to the beach tomorrow’ automatically my mind switches to planning mode. How are we going to get there? What time do we need to leave? What to wear? What to take? What necessary items do I need in case of possible eventualities – 1^st aid kit, spare money, sat nav, research beaches close by in case the chosen beach is too packed, research activities in the area in case it rains and so on…. No possibility is left unexplored!

So as you would imagine, my life is pretty well structured, very rarely am I caught short, and generally the unexpected never happens. I wish!!

In fact I probably have as many unstructured days, unplanned events, get caught short or shocked as much as the person who doesn’t plan. But what is probably different is my reaction. Because I have ‘a plan A, B, C and often D, E, F, G I can generally pull on one of these so that my reaction to the inevitable is pretty seamless. Not I hasten to add, trouble free, but generally seamless.

 Some may call me anal or controlling even. I don’t deny or view those as negatives.

I like to view my self as an easy going person, flying by the seat of my pants, going with the flow, impulsive. But for me to be that person I have to plan.

So I know the planned things that will happen tomorrow, eg work, commute, a friend over for dinner but everything else that will happen in those 24 hours (and there is always something if not ten or more something's) is completely unknown to me. And that is the bit I am excited about.

My planning (anal, controlling, obsessive nature) means that I make time to control what I can – so I know what I am going to wear to work, have a to do list of tasks to complete at work, know the times of the trains, know what I am cooking for my friend. And that is it! The rest I am open to, excited about, looking forward to!

My mind is free to notice, recognise and chase opportunities, dreams and the new and unknown.

So to me, planning may consume some of my time, but it is time well spent so that I have plenty more time to enjoy the unplanned!

 

There is a saying that says – to fail to plan, is to plan to fail……………………..

Go on try it, spend an hour or so planning your week and leave the rest to chance.