“Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans”

• Allen Saunders 

I’m sure the vast majority of us have procrastinated at least once in our lives. For the small minority of those who have not, I must say that I am impressed. In the midst of all that goes on in our lives, it’s sometimes hard to keep up with it all. The brain short circuits, leaving us unsure about what to tackle next. There is almost always something that must be done, a task that must be checked off the list. 

However, for all the effort we put into planning, organization, and execution, it may feel as if life has a plan of its own. Sometimes what was thought out to perfection does not come to the fruition that was expected. Frustration takes root, and shortly after, the door of procrastination opens wide as our angered confusion conjures the question of why we work hard in the first place. It is the key to the door, the first step to demoralization. 

Yet, what more can you control other than what you do to react to your circumstances? In the effort to gain full control over our lives, we forget the line between doing our best and becoming obsessed over uncontrollable factors. Life is more than the trivial things that we cannot control. Rather than worrying about them, take time to move away from the unpredictability of everyday life and instead focus on accepting the outcomes that are spit out in your direction. From here, we can work constructively to build up our lives and reconcile with ourselves. 

We are only human, are we not? In this world where success is so highly appraised, think about what it means to you. What is it that you really want to achieve? And even more importantly, why do you want it? Once it is achieved, what’s next? In the constant struggle to achieve the next goal, we are unable to see the bigger picture. So take a step back, take a deep breath, and watch the random, unpredictable twists and turns draw out a magnificent canvas of art that is so uniquely you.