Merriam-Webster defines a "plan" as "an orderly arrangement of parts of an overall design or objective." If you ask me, there's nothing "orderly" about plans.

We, as humans, have all sorts of plans. Whether it's a plan for the future or just a plan to get through the rest of the day, we're constantly trying to figure out steps that will help us reach an ultimate end goal.

Why? Why are we so incapable of leaving things up to fate, to God, to whatever higher being or larger than life thing you believe in.

Believe me, being prepared & having a plan IS NECESSARY...to an extent. It's good to know what you're getting into, to have a goal, and to set up a strategy to accomplish that goal.

It's also good to play it by ear sometimes, to see where things go and take it from there. There's no reason you can't do both. How? Set a goal, think of some ways to reach that goal, but here's the most important part, don't get your hopes up. Don't get your hopes up?

Yes, don't get your hopes up. Go into whatever it is you're doing KNOWING that the "plan" you have is temporary because guess what, things change at any given moment.

People change, minds change, it all changes and that change could very well effect your "plan." Suddenly you find yourself having to draft up a whole new plan, an entirely new way to accomplish your goal...or maybe the change throws off your plans so much so that even a new goal is needed.

Life will never stop throwing you curveballs. The best you can do is expect it and be prepared for change.

The piece of advice that has always stayed with me is to always, always remember that things have a funny way of working themselves out because everything really does happen for a reason.