How much of life is planned? How much is happenstance? And for all the best projections, it’s the chaos and unexpected that gives the flourish. We might think we know where we are going. We think we’ve got it all planned out. There is the daily To Do list. There is the Month-at-a-Glance. People make yearly goals. Short-term. Mid-range. Long-term goals.
They experts say: Make a Plan. And then stick to it. Right?
It’s that sticking part that gets you stuck. You get too fixated on HOW you are doing a particular thing. You have a map. The map tells you exactly how to get THERE from HERE.
But, it’s not HERE or THERE that really matter. It’s the line connecting now to then. And you have to be the line. Be ON THE LINE. If all we focus on is that point some place into the future, we truly miss the chance to relish THIS moment. And this NEXT moment. It’s in the BEING.
The only constant is time. And even time doesn’t stand still. Nope. Time keeps flowing. So staying stuck to that plan you made back then keeps you from experiencing this moment now. And you lose time, you lose out on the chance to be here, now.
You also miss the chance to wallow, dawdle, meander, chill, flow, space. You get too focused on the DOING that you miss the BEING.
And ask yourself, “What makes me happy?” Answer yourself. Then ask it again, “What makes me happy?”. Give another answer. Ask again. Answer. Do this over and over. Everyday. It is a type of gratitude but also….beyond gratitude.
I am thankful for my health. I am thankful for my intelligence. But what makes me happy?
Watching my sons laugh with each other.
What makes me happy?
Popping bubblewrap.
What makes me happy?
A good inside joke.
What makes me happy?
A nicely edged driveway.
What makes me happy?
Falling asleep beside him.