Don’t Get Ready, Don’t Get Set, Just Go

“The cream of enjoyment in this life is always impromptu. The chance walk; the unexpected visit; the unpremeditated journey; the unsought conversation or acquaintance.” ~Fanny Fern

Anticipating something wonderful has its own kind of thrill, like looking forward to a long planned vacation, or meticulously selecting a special gift for a special friend. Somehow the joy is magnified – doubled really – when, after the anticipation, something wonderful happens, something truly worth the wait.

But when a thrill unexpectedly drops out of the sky, well, it’s almost a sign from somewhere ethereal. Enjoying life in an out-of-the-blue sort of way can be the perfect antidote to the rigidity that so often constricts our carefully planned movements. Too often, we mistake spontaneity for wastefulness or a sense of whimsy for silliness. Embracing spontaneity is good exercise for the creative spirit, which, like a well-toned muscle, becomes stronger and stronger over time.

In many ways, spontaneity is synonymous with creativity. When you lose the ability to be spontaneous, you risk loosing creative drive. In the workplace, many managers are engaging a creative environment. Yet, some people, especially policy lovers, are afraid of spontaneity. Unfortunately, they fail to realize that all the planning and organizing and time management can never replace what we learn when we just let life happen. A lot of life’s pleasures and once-in-a-lifetime experiences happen whether you plan them, write them down or not.

So, from time to time, leave your schedule behind. After all, the unplanned moments – the ones we can’t rehearse – are very often the richest.