Erica Senecal
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Toolbox Tuesday: Planning

Toolbox Tuesday: Planning

Feb 09, 2021

Years ago, I was a planner. I lived by my daily schedule, ticking off one thing after another. My weekly highlights included sitting down on Sunday nights to plan out the following week. I loved calendars... on the walls, on my desks (at home & at work), in my purse. Calendars kept me on track. As a high school then college student, planning meant I met deadlines. Meeting deadlines equaled high marks. High marks made me feel good about myself. Yay for planning!

Planning was good. As a teacher, I excelled at informing my students and their guardians. Weekly newsletters. Monthly calendars. Daily assignments. I liked staying abreast of events and due dates. It was important, imperative even. Dates helped me retain control over myself and my life.

I, like most, hate feeling out of control. I, like many, dislike change. I am not a fan of surprises. Deviations from my plans throw me for a loop. Yet, I prefer to remain on the ground, solidly. Always have, figuratively.

From as early as I can remember, I had a plan for my life. I expected smooth transitions, easy living. πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈ. (After nearly a half century, I finally recognize my naivety, the foolishness. But I'll share the early dreams anyway.)

  • Graduate high school. πŸ‘©β€πŸŽ“

  • Attend & graduate college.πŸŽ“

  • Teach.πŸ‘©β€πŸ«

  • Meet & marryπŸ‘°πŸ€΅ Mr. Right-for-Me. ❣Love, True Love❣

  • Own a home. 🏑

  • Have kids. πŸ€°πŸ€±πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘¦πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§β€πŸ‘§

  • Raise kids. Foster and adopt more.πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§β€πŸ‘¦πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§β€πŸ‘§πŸ‘ͺ

  • ❀ my kids without condition.

  • Watch them grow, hit milestones, become educated, succeed as individuals while staying connected to family and traditions.

  • Become a grandma. πŸ‘©β€πŸ¦³πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ§“

  • Love my husband til death do us part.πŸ‘¨β€πŸ¦³ πŸ’‘πŸ‘΅

  • Live happily-ever-after. πŸ‘ΈπŸ€΄

  • The end.πŸ’€

I held 🀱 detailed hopes and dreams. I expected life to be good, so very very good.

But life rarely sticks to the script. And we get thrown for a loop...more than once. Don't we?

Seems all we can do is develop ways to cope then push through then overcome. There are many tools at our disposal. Each Tuesday, I'll continue to share my favorites. (I hope you'll comment with your best-working tools, too.)

Utilizing tools enables me to implement the unexpected into my life so I don't become overwhelmed by the shocks...at least, not to the point of wanting my pain to end so badly that I consider doing it myself. I never want to go back to that darkness. I never want to feel swallowed again.

The truth is that my life holds meaning and purpose. (If you're wondering... so does yours.) I am a woman, a mom, and a conduit of healing for folks who are where I've been.

My plan may not have been executed exactly as once desired, but my life is good. Very, very good. Planning and organization have their place and purpose. Expectations morph because they're supposed to. Life is fluid.

And so am I.

I'm grateful.

I hope you are, too.

Peace, my Friends.

❀, Me, Erica Senecal

PS- I'm creating a (potentially fluid) plan for BMAC/EricaSenecal. Bought my first planner in years. Feels safer to use the calendar. Flying by the seat of my pants isn't working well in this endeavor. Hopefully, I'll become and remain more consistent for y'all. Thanks for following my new adventure, even while I smooth the kinks. I appreciate you.

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