A change of plan!

How do you feel when your plans change unexpectedly? I used to find that if I had things planned in my diary and at the last minute, they got change I would go all off kilter. I would often get annoyed, frustrated and upset at the very thing I was hoping to do was no more.

How often have you when your plans change due to others felt annoyance at them for letting you down? How often have you sat at home moping at the time you should have been enjoying the planned ‘thing’? How often have you had plans change for reasons outside of your control, the weather cancelling an event, the artist you were going to see in concert coming down with an illness or indeed you have to stay at home because you have come down with something leaving you angry at the situation, the person, yourself for getting ill?

As I have got older maybe it is an age thing I have come to discover and embrace acceptance more and more. I have learnt that by accepting change happens and that behind it often is deeper reason than we originally thought.

 A couple of weeks ago I had an experience of change that happened out of my control whereby I made a conscious decision around dealing with it, through this (and I have as I said earlier I have learnt to embrace change with acceptance) came a learning that I thought I would share.

It came about as along with my siblings we had arranged a shopping trip with a lunch date. I was really looking forward to taking some time out of work to enjoy some family time and I have to say even though we often spend time together this time was exciting as it included two of my favourite ways to pass time, shopping and eating lunch out.

As the sunny day dawned, I woke up to a text from my brother to say something had come up which meant he could no longer make it, I understood his reasons why so accepted we would go another day. I in turn messaged my sister to suggest we carry on as planned however the extreme heat meant that my sister thought it best if we postpone to another day.

Did I become frustrated, annoyed or sad (well I was a bit until we re-scheduled the date for the following week), no I chose to go alone. I took myself off for some ‘me’ time, I browsed the shops at my leisure taking no notice of time then took myself off to lunch in a restaurant where I enjoyed one of my favourite meals.

 As I was walking around, I realised that actually what had happened was that while I wanted to spend the time with my siblings what I actually NEEDED was a little time completely alone doing exactly what I wanted to do for me! I came home, happy, refreshed and knowledgeable that while me, myself, I may want something what I need is often very different and circumstances had proved just that.

So, next time change happens for you ask yourself is it because what you thought you wanted is not actually what you needed at that moment in time!