I heard this phrase the other day, “letting life come to
us.” I turned to my husband and said, “oh I like that.” I found those words to
be calming, a quiet way to process and as a result a better way to thrive.
But let’s be real for a moment, letting things “just come to us” is not always easy. There are times when having a schedule or a plan is necessary and since I’m a goal-oriented person, I get that.
Within these notions of calm, quiet and a better way to thrive they remind me of a less urgent mindset. One that offers moving at a pace that is achievable and healthier.
A good example, if I were to start a business there would be without a doubt a business plan. Did you know that most businesses fail because they fail to plan? Kind of a weird thought since one might think a “concept” is enough to grow on.
But even with the best “outline” you can still fail because circumstances can get in the way. The basic goal of a business plan is to help you stay on task so when pitfalls surface you know how to navigate through them.
Detailed planning can also take a concept to the next level while bringing forward ideas that you might otherwise miss.
Robert and I brainstorm all the time and I love these sessions; they can be about anything and the results vary. Sometimes they take us down a dead-end where others bring us down a path of light where the possibilities seem endless.
It’s easy enough to incorporate “letting life come to us” to just about anything you do because it’s a perfect fit for business and healthy living.
For me recently we decided to go back to a schedule. I cringed because it sounded technical and in
a perfect world, I’d rather just “fly by the seat of my pants.”
I was dragging my feet when I said, “Then I’m going to have to get another planner” because two months prior I decided to toss mine. Robert responded with, just use a notebook.
I looked at him and quickly stated, “you mean like the 10 notebooks we currently can’t find?
He’s quick on his feet and replied, “what we wrote down must not have been important.”
The idea of this new schedule felt controlling; I envisioned a leash around my neck. So, we took a day to make this schedule and I sat there unhinged with excuses why this wouldn’t work.
Thankfully I have a very patient husband and as we walked through each day of the week, it started to make sense because nothing was really carved in stone.
Up to this point we had priorities like our marriage, building a house and conducting our business with all the little things just thrown in as we had time. Often at the end of the week we would realize the little things had taken up all of our time.
I decided we could do this and be successful while still living in a way that allows life to come to us. Maybe the same could happen for you?
Letting life come is about releasing control and to stop thinking we know what’s best for each day. Let in some light and take breaks to embrace the good and see where it takes you.
-Carole