The Best Laid Plans

It’s been one year and nine days since I lost my job. In my September blog post from last year, I wrote about all that I hoped to accomplish while having free time for the first time ever in my adult life. I drafted a plan in my head, secretly hoping I’d nail not only the list, but take on some extra tasks as well. Well, it didn’t happen, and my overachiever self is not one bit happy about it. 
Some of what I’d planned to do, I can check off my list. I finished writing my third book and began querying literary agents for representation of it. Check. Some cupboards and closets have been organized and sorted. Check. One of the two chairs I planned to refinish is almost done. The remainder of the items on the list fall into not even started or in progress. Loser. Yep, my hand’s making a big old “L” on my forehead. 
In all fairness, my plans were disrupted by the unplannable. I didn’t plan on having health issues this year (what the hell, 2024?). So, there was definitely less time than planned to attack my list, but there was also a lack of energy. And honestly, I can’t determine if the lack of energy is completely from the health issues or just part of getting older. Gulp. I can’t believe I’m even considering playing the old card. But damn, there it is. I’m laying it on the table. 
As a full-time employee, I remember thinking if I just had six months off, what I could accomplish around the house. I’d be a force to be reckoned with, a domestic tornado unleashed within the walls of my home. I was sure six months would buy me time to clean and organize the entire basement, paint all the interior walls and ceilings, and about thirty other lofty cleaning tasks I would accomplish. The truth is, I may have seriously overestimated my ability. I mean it’s been an entire year!  
My present self is now wondering what in the hell my past self was thinking. I mean, why didn’t I account for life and all the stuff that happens along the way that you can’t possibly imagine? Not without a crystal ball anyway. Oh, fun fact.... you can actually buy crystal balls on Amazon. Yes, I checked. None of them guarantee telling the future though. Go figure. 
So, what’s next? I think next up is creating a new plan. Perhaps a little less ambitious with some wiggle room for the unexpected life stuff. A plan that falls somewhere between “I will finish everything left undone on the former list” and “will just continue to breathe”. Hopefully the plan will land somewhere closer to the first than the latter. But in the meantime, my recommendation is to do what makes you happy, celebrate what you do accomplish and give yourself some grace. Tomorrow isn’t promised, so enjoy the present even if something on your list isn’t going to get checked off. After all, there likely won’t be a list of your accomplishments etched on your tombstone. So, my friends, stay safe, healthy and enjoy every minute of this life. And if a plan goes to hell, just replan it. 
p.s. For those of you keeping track, yeah, I almost waited until the last day of the month to publish my blog post again. I’ll try to do better next month...maybe I’ll put it on my list.