I thought this article I found over at Simple. Organized. Life. was quite interesting. Go ahead and read it – I’ll wait for you to come back.
Done? Are you thinking, “Isn’t that sort of anti-Nicki?” Because I started this blog to be a blog about planning. Not because I’m especially good at it, mind you, but because I want to be.
But to be honest, I tend to live my life more like David describes. It’s not so much that I need to stop these things, I just tend to fail to do them. On reflection, more than once has it occurred to me when I compare my life with some of the people around me, I wonder if my life isn’t less stressful because I do tend to go with the flow.
It’s generally pretty easy for me to let go of conflict and anger. Sometimes it isn’t worth my time or attention, and I recognize that. Other times, the thing that angered me one moment simply doesn’t matter in the next and I can set it aside. I really just like to avoid conflict all together.
And mostly, I just want everyone to be happy.
But now, living my life the way I have, I find I’m envious of those friends of mine that did have plans coming out of high school, and who stuck with them, come hell or high water. I look at those people who used to just be kids like me, like I still feel I am, and am envious of all they’ve achieved. One is a costumer for Broadway productions. Another manages a theater. A third just got her Ph.D. What happened to my life that the things I used to dream about never manifested?
So I feel that now I should, ought to, and need to plan to set my life back on some sort of track. Part of it is financial worry. Another fairly large part is concern that if I don’t pull things together, I’ll be a bad example for my kids. And another part is concern that if I don’t act now to do the things I want to do in life, I’ll be an old lady with no way to pursue her dreams.
I will have to say, though – there needs to be a healthy balance of planning and freedom on a person’s life. Too much reliance on structure isn’t good. You need to be able to go with the flow. On the other hand, if you aren’t planning for the future, there may not be much of one waiting for you when you get there.