"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us."

We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.

Natural sunset when returning to barn after a ride, Findlay, Ohio.

‘Let it go…let it go…’ The song from Frozen keeps running through my head as I am writing this.

I am a planner by nature. I often fall asleep at night planning the next day, filling my mornings, afternoons and evenings before the day has even begun.

Planning is good. But maybe too much planning makes me think I can control things. I can’t plan a beautiful sunset…but hopefully I haven’t overbooked myself so much that I can’t stop to enjoy it.

When I try to control too many things, I add stress to my life and to those around me and I also, quite possibly, shut the door on other things that could be waiting for me.

 

 

11 Comments

  1. Carmen Peone on August 20, 2014 at 12:28 pm

    Yes, it is easy to over book. I get this as a published author and horse owner. I love the Ohio sunset. I live in Washington state, the east side, and some nights I just stand out with the horses and watch the sky. Just remember to plan, and let God dot he rest. 🙂

  2. Janette on August 19, 2014 at 11:59 pm

    Another great post, thanks.
    When I have trouble letting go of a plan, I tell myself. “Don’t give up, don’t give in, just change your mind”.

  3. thewanderingpathllc on August 18, 2014 at 12:55 pm

    Stacy, I completely understand as I too do the “pre-sleep” and “dreaming” planning. BB on your journey.

  4. Alice on August 17, 2014 at 8:44 pm

    One of life’s greatest challenges is the balance between planning too little, or planning too much. Insufficient planning causes wasted time, and often just delays stress rather than preventing it. 🙂 Either way, peace is found in acceptance of what happens OUTSIDE our plans.

  5. Janett Cotton on August 17, 2014 at 8:16 pm

    Well said

  6. Mary Lynne on August 17, 2014 at 2:52 pm

    Wow! That statement hit the nail on the head for me. An unexpected job offer for my husband is prompting a cross-country move. My husband has already left to start work, and I have stayed behind to put our horse-property on the market and prepare horses and cats for a cross-country move while my husband is trying to secure housing for all of us in the new location. I have wanted to move for a long-time, but the timing of the new job offer was unexpected. Letting go is harder than I expected it to be. My main concern is our horses leaving our home of more than 10 years for a new place. I worry about their safety and comfort. The quote is a great reminder not to get too caught up in “what was” so that I can make room for a healthy transition into our new life in a new place.

  7. Jenni Hitt on August 17, 2014 at 1:18 pm

    I feel this way often. I am a planner. I think about things way before they happen and try and accomplish my goals in a reasonable time frame. Last November my riding schedule was going really well when I was told I couldn’t ride any longer without risking serious damage to an old ankle injury. So I planned for surgery, planned for horse (and other animal) care for the 5-6 weeks I would be laid up and took some time off to heal. A month post surgery, I suffered a massive pulmonary embolism and went Into cardiac arrest at home, essentially dying. Luckily by the grace of God I was able to see my 29th birthday – and many more I hope! – but my riding (and life) schedule I had planned changed significantly. I learned through that whole thing that plans are temporary. It’s good to plan for things, but also good for me to allow some time to change them or adjust them to experience more spontaneous times in my life.

  8. Patti on August 17, 2014 at 11:01 am

    All summer I had been wanting to scrap paint off some wood trim around my sun room, but with this crazy summer weather here in Ohio, I had not got to it. Two weeks ago, I decided the upcoming Saturday, I was going to go watch a mounted shooting match, I’ve been wanting to do mounted shooting for years, but with all the farm work I could never find the time. Consequently, I am a spectator. That Saturday morning prior to the shoot, I walked by that sun room on the way to the barn to feed. Right then, I changed my mind and decided to stay home and scrap that wood trim. Several hours later, I am in ER waiting to get my hand stitched up after cutting myself with the wood scraper.The trim didn’t get scraped and painted and I missed the shoot. LOL! I can’t win no matter what direction I go!

  9. Gary on August 17, 2014 at 10:35 am

    “When I try to control too many things, I add stress to my life and to those around me (esp the horse) and I also, quite possibly, shut the door on other things that could be waiting for me.”

    Exactly how it works, schooling, trail riding or exhibiting my horses. Was this post a parable, Stacy?

    • Stacy on August 18, 2014 at 2:20 pm

      Just my deep thought for the day…but I am glad to see that other people ‘got it’!

  10. Iris on August 17, 2014 at 10:35 am

    As of today, I have never used a planner or agenda In my life. I am amazed how many people get stressed out when they can’t put anything in their agenda. It seems as they are afraid to have some free time that they have to fill with themselves without being needed by anybody or anywhere…

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