With all the plans in the world, life will not go exactly as we have planned it. Of course, this is no excuse not to plan as we need order and a focus in our lives. Coasting along is not at all recommended. We should give room for flexibility in our thinking and our approach and having a back up plan is not such a bad idea. The path you are on may take longer than your friends or colleagues but determination and commitment will mean you get there – surely this is of some importance.
I read a post on LinkedIn (my preferred social media site), where the writer spoke of timelines in which people feel pressured to work towards; leave university at 21, get married at 25, have two children by 30, become CEO by 40 and so on. Some will hit every goal post at the desired time while others will take a slightly different journey for various reasons. Home life, health, our mindset and circumstances heavily impact on the way in which we live, what we push for and what we close the door to.
From the age of 15 I wanted to become a journalist or newsreader. I loved to read a wide range of books, newspapers and magazines. I had a keen interest in news, films, showbusiness and celebrities in general. I was and still am an introvert and I do wonder if a part of me yearned to be exciting or to be seen as exciting.
I applied for a media studies degree course at a North London university – it was that long ago I cannot even recall the name of it. This was my dream course and I looked forward to delving into this subject matter for three years. As it turns out, I did not receive the required grade in my college exams and therefore was not accepted. That was a major blow to my confidence and my future hopes felt shattered. Thankfully I found another course, media technology at a West London university.
20 years later I am not a journalist or a newsreader but a manager working in local government. Very recently I began heading a women’s ministry at church – early days but I have some plans. I still have a passion for writing hence why I run a blog and have done for over three years. Who knows where this will take me – I am certainly enjoying the journey!
A few tips:
1. Ask yourself why you have decided on particular life choices and what you are willing and able to do to reach them
2. Seek alternative options and try to refrain from a rigid way of thinking
3. Ensure your choices are based on you and you are not living up to someone’s ideal
4. Be happy with who you are today – do not wait until you achieve or receive x, y, z. Contentment is key.
Has your life panned out according to your original plan or did it go off-course?
What did you learn about yourself in the process?
How would you encourage others?
organisedlady 
Robert Burns-“The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry ”
We all have our dreams and paths, but sometimes we must compromise due to what occurs in our life.
I too wanted to be a journalist, got a degree, but that fell apart. But, do to other decisions I had made, I have a great job today. Also, I am writing and also doing my other dream as a pro wrestler.
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I remember the book “Of Mice and Men”. I was required to read this as part of my English class. I recall one of the characters was Lenny.
I am glad life worked out for you. It has a funny way it doing so depending on our perspective.
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What a fun post to read, Phoenicia. My life has been spinning and turning for decades. Had it followed anything resembling a straight path, I would have been bored out of my mind. The only through-thread has been writing. I have done some aspect of it in every job and it’s all I’ve ever wanted to be. Let’s hope (prayer) that you and I both conquer some big goals this year!
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Thank you RoseMary. Believing for bigger and better in 2018!
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The only thing that’s certain in life is that everything is uncertain. So when life takes “a u-turn” you have to adapt unless you want to end up on the side of the road.
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Thank you for your insight Catarina. We do need an element of flexibility in order to rise above.
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I agree, Phoenicia, being flexible and having a back up plan is really important. Sometimes you have to fail at one thing before you find the thing you are really good at; or it takes a little more self-knowledge than you have at 18 before you know yourself well enough to realise that perhaps you don’t have quite the right personality traits to be happy doing Plan A. As you say, it is all about the journey!
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We are all on a journey. I have accepted I will make mistakes, it is up to me to learn from them.
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Another good post. I like the way you gain insight about your experiences both good and bad. You don’t waste wrong turns or mistakes. I like that. There is a certain honesty I sense and admire as well. My own life (74 years old) and full of wrong turns and bad experiences but some really great moments and learning and growing opportunities. And I thank God, that I can remember and can share most of it; warts and all.
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Thank you Marvin. I try to be as transparent as I can when writing my blogs as people relate well to this. It is also a sign that I am not bound by past errors or experiences.
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I grew up in a home affected by substance abuse so my only dream was to escape. I couldn’t agree more with you about the value of remaining open to opportunities and embracing our detours. I’ve engineered at least three major reinventions over the course of my life and I’ve learned so much with each new experience. Thanks for the inspiration!
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You are welcome Marquita. I feel we all have experiences to share that will encourage others. There is not only one way of arriving at our destination.
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Phoenicia, you are so right in saying life may take a u turn. It seems my life has taken so many that I’m right back where I started from. But we need to keep planning in order to keep hoping and without hoping all is lost. Who knows, maybe the road will become straight and easy from here on but no matter what, it’s important to keep chugging on..
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Lenie – you may feel you are right back where you started but I am sure if you reflected on the journey you have made, you will identify people whose lives you have impacted on, a change of character and growth
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Great post, Phoenicia. My life has certainly not gone according to plan. There have been many detours and diversions along the way. But each of those has enriched my life in some or many ways. I love how unexpected opportunities present themselves and make life interesting.
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I doubt anyone’s life has been plain sailing. It may look this way to others who only see the outer but we all face our battles internally. Opportunities arise when we look for them and live to get the best out of life.
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Thank you for sharing your story. I admire your determination and not giving up when you didn’t get accepted at the first university that you applied to. And now, even though you are not working as a journalist yet, that opportunity may still come to you, as it did for me after I retired from teaching! I very much enjoy your blog.
Dr Rin
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You are welcome Dr Rin. I believe the opportunity has already come but it has not been presented in the way I had expected.
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