My dear friend and business associate Joanne, has a sign in her office that reads: “Life is all about how you handle Plan B”. At the end of a crazy day, we used to muse over a cup of hot cocoa about how we ended up at plan C or even D. You just can’t make this “stuff” up we would laugh. It was the days that we didn’t laugh that got us down. The days that we took everything so seriously are the ones that left us frustrated.
When we find ourselves stuck in how things should be (according to plan A) we lose sight of instant opportunities that present themselves. Things may actually turn out even better than expected. When life throws a curve ball, we should learn to be more spontaneous, reflective and reliant on inner guidance. When life gives us lemons, make lemonade… or better yet, slice them into your water!
There is a great little book called “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson, M.D. that describes what happens when people get stuck in their “shoulda, coulda and woulda’s” – Plan A. It is a wonderful story about overcoming obstacles to change. The littlepeople ate up all their cheese, and when it was gone they were angry and stuck in their frustration. The adventurous little mice used their instincts to look for new ways through the maze to find more cheese – Plan B. When they found more cheese, they saved some for a time when cheese may be scarce and shared what they did have, trusting… believing that there would always be opportunities for more.
Here are a few tips to help you with Plan B (change):
- Think about where you are at, focus on what is working well.
- Ask yourself, “What am I learning from the situation?”
- Think about where you ultimately want to go or be.
- Ask yourself, “What is my next step?”
- Take action on your thoughts.
When you take time to learn from mis-takes, considering them simple learning experiences, embrace change, and connect with your inner guidance – you just never know where you might end up. It could be far better than you ever imagined.
Plan, embrace Plan B when necessary, and take action to achieve your goals!
Life is a journey, full of interesting scenery along the by-ways.
Enjoy,
Lois
“Imagining myself enjoying new cheese even before I find it. Leads me to it.”
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