Best Laid Plans Knocked Flat

Sometimes the best-laid plans are knocked flat by life, and often you go down with them. 

That happened to me the other day. It wasn’t major. It wasn’t even minor. It was just off and when it went off the rails it drug me, my schedule, and everything related right off the rails with it. 

It could have been a disaster. In some ways, it should have been. After all, the plan is a plan for a reason. It’s not like I like to sit around thinking up plans that I never plan to pursue (although I have in the past and still know some who do).

It actually started the day before – because derailments are often cascading events and not a one point issue.

I start my mornings with my Focus Folder – which includes a daily schedule, to-do list, and stickers (because everything is better with stickers). I already had to adjust my normal routine to accommodate a “need it as soon as possible” appointment.

As soon as I got back in and got done the things actually on my schedule for the morning, my husband surprised me with another appointment to look at a location for an Eagle Ceremony. Our youngest son just accomplished the ranking and we wanted to honor him and our two older sons (who are also Eagle Scouts).

Before we left, my husband threw a flurry of possibility thoughts into my mind when he cupped my face in his hands and said, “We are doing this.” We’d been talking about He Said – She Said for years and thought it would be fun. But getting the backdrop and doing the show required shifting my schedule even more on top of the shifting already being done for the Eagle location search.

It was fine. I knew I wanted to make an adjustment and it pushed me in the right direction. We did the live show. I got work done later than expected but still with plenty of time for rest.

The next morning brought more concerns than unexpected events. Those, on top of missed to-dos because of schedule shifts, pushed my cart a little too far and it ran off the rails. 

What To Do When Best Laid Plans Fall Short

Nobody was hurt, but I couldn’t get my focus. If you can’t focus then it’s tough creating encouragement. Normally, #GrowingHOPE chat helps me when I’m in a struggle moment. But I was so far in the ditch I couldn’t even thinking about #GrowingHOPE much less lead it.

So I simply tweeted: 

What followed was a stream of exactly what I needed.

My friend, Tom Reid, kicked off the inspiration by reminding me that we support each other when those days gang up on us.

It’s amazing how words speak right to the moment even when the people sharing the words don’t necessarily know anything about the moment. That’s how community works. When we are invested in each other then we can recognize when there is a struggle point even if that struggle point isn’t shared.

Thanks, Tom! You shared a LOT of great quotes in the hour of the #GrowingHOPE chat.

This tweet sent me running for the hills, in a good way. My husband had just reminded me that we had made the decision to do things different, to go against the norm, and had taken our first step in getting it done before my best laid plans detoured into the ditch.

These words were confirmation of all he had said and the tears confirmed it.

Thanks, Thiam. You refueled my positive flame right as it was flickering.

Amy jumped in and encouraged others to share encouragement. This tweet reminded me that others are watching and sometimes we need to make our best choices so that others can see their next best step.

Thank you, Amy. Thank you for encouraging the shares and for sharing the strength to endure.

Best Laid Plans Should Be Flexible

You can be the “face of encouragement” and still need encouraging now and then. You can lead a #GrowingHOPE chat normally but ask for a pass on the days you don’t have any seeds to spare.

As long as you choose to be real and authentic, people will be open and accepting – at least those people that you need on your team.

The people that are going to condemn will condemn whether you do or you don’t, so don’t let their words hinder your authentic journey.

Thank you to all the people around me that allow me to be uniquely me. My prayer is that all I do will infuse that same power back into you.