As a professional writer I’m trained to get things exact. Hit the target. Get a reaction. Maximize the word choice. Make an impact and make it count. All honorable things to shoot for in impeccable journalism or marketing-based writing. When the same approach is used as a way to look at life — not so much.
Often we view our experiences as “if I just knew, if I could just figure out. if they would just” and then we slowly trail off down the rabbit hole, succumbing to a whole new realm of what-ifs. Yes, it’s sometimes seems easier to view challenges from outside yourself, focusing on the excuses or possibilities of where the blame should land in order to dwell in figuring out the “why”.And it fools the mind — for a little while.
But these distractions have an expiration date and really only prevent you from seeing the obvious — any and all experiences you have in life are open-ended. Always. Nothing is set in stone, nothing is certain. So why do people spend so much energy and time striving to create an exact “something” that is ABSOLUTELY going to change?
The open-endedness of life is it’s true beauty and gift because it leaves room for you to shift, grow and change your mind; to show up differently and learn the value of loving yourself. You most likely already know how if feels when things seem bleak and unchangeable, and they would continue to seem that way forever if life was a set track with no unexpected creative detours. I love hearing people talk about meandering careers and life unplanned because it’s a story in the making, with rich, meaty growth in it for them as much as it is for me listening to it. It’s beautiful.
Choose Origami vs the White Lined Paper
If life only unfolded exactly how we imagined, how would there ever be room for the surprises like an unexpected passionate love affair with someone across the room, or the chance to drive a non-street legal race Porsche (yes, it was AMAZING). The joy is in experiencing the mystery of what’s ahead as it unfolds, because it takes cojones to remain open and willingly walk into a pricker bush instead of choosing something predictable and “safe”.
Always knowing what’s coming limits our growth. Kills the imagination and new possibilities with it. Dampens our spirit from challenging ourselves. Without the opportunity to explore our darker bits and practice with how we handle the sticky moments as well as the amazing ones, how would we build character, experience or expand our hearts into new levels of understanding?
For many people I know, now seems like a particularly challenging time personally and professionally for countless reasons. And trust me, I’m not without a few of my own “pricker bushes” at the moment. But the tremendous insights I’ve had this year all occurred in ways I never expected, and I choose to see these experiences as writing my unique, creative life story, as it unfolds. Are you willing to try and do the same?
When things are running a bit haywire and off-plan, how you do handle it? What do you you do to get grounded and re-open to the creative flow of life?
Photo Credit: Kalense Kid