Planning for 25

"We must be willing to get rid of the life we´ve planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.  The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come." - Josheph Campbell

I love to plan - plan my day, week, life, year.  When I have some down time, I frequently doodle lists, timelines, goals, to-do lists, and more.  If you can dream it, I have planned it.  And these plans have taken me quite far!

As I begin a new year and reach my 25th birthday, it is only my nature to begin making lists, goals, and plans again.  But this time my lists are a little different than ever before.  My lists and plans usually revolved around grand accomplishments and events - defining success and happiness in life through these big moments and the fair share of material possessions.  Such as GETTING A MASTERS DEGREE, BUY A CAR, RUN A HALF MARATHON

As I venture into my 25th year, I found myself reflecting on two things.

1) I need to give myself some credit.  I have checked more than a few of these lofty goals off the list
Get a Masters Degree - MSW, University of South Carolina 2013
Travel the world - Semester at Sea 2009, Peace Corps Peru, and more to come
Join the Peace Corps - Youth Development Volunteer, Peru 21
Learn a 2nd Language - Hablo español, mas o menos :)
Buy a car......haha right maybe in another 25 years

If these accomplishments and just day-to-day Peace Corps life have taught me anything it is to love myself, be proud of myself, and to know I am stronger and braver than I ever thought I would be.  So toast to the past 25 years - I haven´t done too bad ;)

2) The second thing to catch my attention in my new list and plans is how they have changed, for really the first time ever.  Some of this I attribute just to growing up (a little), some to how much I have been able to accomplish and life experiences.  And then I know some of that change is attributed to my time in Peru.  It was inevitable that my thoughts on a happy, successful life change after living in a developing country in a poor community, away from my family, friends, culture, and certainly away from my comfort zone.

So I am sure I will buy a car one day and maybe I´ll run a half marathon some time (though a few more 5ks would make me just as happy now), but these things no longer hold the importance to be on my plans and lists.  Thanks to everyone who has been a part of my past 25 years!  Here´s to another year of planning, learning, and adventures!!

"You don´t always need a plan.  Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go, and see what happens" - Mandy Hale