Switching Gears

I learned how to drive on a standard transmission.  It was scary.  I ground those gears and stalled the car numerous times. When my driving instructor took me on the QEW on my first lesson I was sure it was the END. He was crazy - I should have reported him.  But I digress..  Bottom line is I was not good at changing gears.  I am still not (thankfully I drive an automatic).

I have never been good at changing quickly - transitioning. I find it very difficult to adapt to and be flexible about a new situation. I do it, but I am not good at it. I would not have made a good actor - changing characters and scenes constantly would have pushed me over the edge.  I am a planner; a list maker. I am methodical, I like routine.  I am much more comfortable walking into a situation where I know (more or less) what might happen. The problem with this is that life is not predictable.  Not one solitary bit of it.  We can plan, yes. And we can try to execute those plans. And sometimes it works out the way we thought it would.  But many times - more often -  it does not. 

I believe that how we react and adapt to change will impact on the joy in our life.  Consider what we might we miss out on while we are busy planning every last detail. So focused on formulating and completing our lists and blue prints for our lives that we miss the opportunities for spontaneity.  For experiencing something new to us. Something we hadn't considered- that wasn't on our master plan.  

I am a BIG offender, but I am trying to be more flexible.  To go with the flow. To not sweat all the nitty gritty details.  I make a list.. and half the time it doesn't get done. This used to irk me to no end. Now, I throw the list away and think of all the good things that happened in place of what was on my list.  Don't get me wrong.  I am not against making lists or making plans or having goals. Those things are important.  But be flexible.  Allow yourself to switch gears and try to be flexible about changes to your plans.  

Go ahead. Grind those gears.  It might be fun.