We make plans in life and then life surprises us. When we look back, hardly has a plan worked out the way we thought it would. Some worked out better than expected and some far from what we wanted. In all our experiences, one thing is for sure, life doesn’t turn out the way we have planned it.
Does this mean we shouldn’t plan and allow things to play out for themselves? Absolutely not. Making a plan is essential. Our mind cannot work in a vacuum. If left idle, it will tempt us into all the wrong things. A plan gives our mind a strong direction and purpose to help keep us focussed and committed.
So how do we reconcile to the fact that in spite of having made a plan, things will, in all probability turn out differently? When we temper our plans with faith, flexibility, and freedom, we start enjoying the way our plans unfold.
There are times we have gone through a very tough situation, only to realise that the experience navigated us into doing something which turned out for our good. We may have been heartbroken at not being with someone, only to experience that someone meant for us came into our life. Or we may have started doing something only to land up doing something completely different. When we look back and realise that like medicine, which may be bitter at first, some things came into our life to strengthen us, we develop the faith that even if our plans change, it will work out for the best.
There are times our plans get affected with us having little control. People close to us may demand more time and attention, making us alter our plans. Or a different way of doing things presents itself and challenges our belief and set ways, only to teach us a better way of living. When we drop our ego of being rigid, we realise that being flexible is not compromising our plans, but rather enabling things to work out for the best.
And sometimes life presents us opportunities we never dreamt of. When we are willing to be open and course-correct as needed, we surprisingly find that what was never in our plan has become an integral part of our life. When we gain freedom from holding on too tight to our pet ideas and letting go of our inner fears, we realise we create opportunities for ourselves that work out for the best.
Life is not about turning out the way we have planned it. It is living with faith, flexibility, and freedom and making the best of the way things turn out.
What a wonderful reflection Vivek! One of your best amongst all the brilliant gems you’ve been penning and sharing!
Holds so true in the situation we have been living in, for the past year!
Many of us must have made so many plans in 2020. Business growth, education plans for our kids, property acquisitions, wedding plans, etc. And in our mind expected things and results so different from what actually happened last year and continues to date!
Here too, so brilliantly reflected by you… Things don’t always turn out the way we expect them to, but every experience teaches us a new lesson. Sometimes things do work out for the best and the unnecessary baggage of the result of our expectations leading to stess, so totally avoidable!
Bless you for sending out all these thought provoking gems and look forward to reading them every morning!
Life is what happens to you when you are busy planning. Where does this fit in Vivek? Doesn’t this mean that life and our plans will never be coherent?
Amit before I could respond, Anjali has beautifully captured the connection between the importance of planning and being comfortable with the outcome, whatever that be….
Insightful reflections on the importance of both planning and then being comfortable with the outcome , whatever that outcome is. You’ve so beautifully encapsulated the values that enable us to embrace outcomes that differ from our plans with joy rather than disappointment. Faith helps us stay content and happy despite outcomes that are different from expectations; flexibility enables us to embrace opportunity and freedom gives us a window into a different way of being. Thank you.
Beautifully put Anjali…