Wednesday, July 18, 2012

What Plan?



I was having dinner the other night with a good friend, and as we were talking, the following came out of my mouth:

                 " I don't know the plan even though I want to know the plan, because
                    part of the plan is not knowing the plan."

Yes, I'm one of those people who often likes to KNOW.  I used to be much more that way, but still am to some degree.  Give me information and I feel reassured I'm making a good decision.  Too much suspense can be unnerving.  I've been known to cover my eyes during a scary movie or flip to the back of a novel of gripping suspense.

There are certainly plans worth having.  Creating a new business or trying to achieve a goal requires well thought out projections and action steps.  Having a plan helps bring a vision into reality.  The best plans are those with built-in contingencies and flexibility, because things rarely turn out the way we envision they will.  Have you ever had an idea of "exactly' what you wanted only to be pleasantly surprised when things turned out somewhat differently?

As human beings, it's natural to want to know what's going to happen; it makes us feel more in control.  Some of us have a greater desire for predictability than others and feel less comfortable with change.  In addition, when we're feeling good about our life and ourselves, it's easy to be open and optimistic about what might come our way.  When we're not in a good place, it feels so much harder to believe this is all part of the "plan," and there is something we are meant to learn from each obstacle and (heaven forbid!) failure.

If we look back at our lives, we realize many of the most difficult and challenging situations taught us the most about ourselves and our capabilities, when at the time we felt we were in the midst of a crisis.  In retrospect, we may even be surprised at how well we dealt with the situation.  It's helpful to remember this when we feel life isn't going our way or we're apprehensive about what will happen. After all, having more information doesn't guarantee anything, especially control. 

Accepting what is requires us to trust there is a higher power and that our experiences unfold for our greatest good. 

And if we always knew how things would turn out, we wouldn't be surprised and delighted when all those fun, unexpected things do happen--things we end up thinking and talking about years later.

Can you be open to what's happening at a given moment and accept the outcome, even if it's not what you think you wanted?  Whatever happens, it's all part of the plan.