Choosing to Embrace Plan B

@bethvogt

Sometimes our well-thought-out plans don’t work.

Frustrating, isn’t it?

Last year wasn’t a great writing year for me. Too many disruptions meant very little creative writing.

I spent some time evaluating what I needed to ensure I had a more productive year in 2021.

Solid blocks of time. Dedicated space. No interruptions.

Then I made my plan. It wasn’t complicated, really. I’d get up at 4 a.m., before everyone else woke up, and write until 6 a.m.

Simple, right?

My plan didn’t work.

Getting up at 4 a.m. sounds great – unless you also stay up until 10-10:30 every night, which I do.

Getting up at 4 a.m. before everyone else gets up sounds great – unless you also rouse your three dogs. And then the dogs wake up your 8-month-old granddaughter who is living in your basement apartment with your daughter and son-in-love.

So here I am, 7 weeks into this new year, dealing with a much lower word count for my work in progress than I’d hoped for by this time.

A failed plan and frustration.

It’s not as if I’ve never stared down an unsuccessful idea. It’s part of the creative process – the whole idea of allowing ourselves to toss ideas around. To consider our options. To be willing to try this, try that … and to keep trying until we discover what works. To uncover the magic. The ping.

Yes, right now what I’d planned isn’t working.

But I’m determined this year is going to be different – better – than last year. I have stories to write.

When our well-thought-out-plan doesn’t work, that’s reality – not failure.

The question is what now?

There’s always Plan B, but it might take a while to figure it out.

Maybe like me, you walked into 2021 with a plan for forward motion in your personal or professional life only to see it nosedive. Consider this a delay, not a cancelation of all your hopes and dreams for the rest of the year.

Choosing to continue is challenging because setbacks are setups for discouragement.

Quitting gets you nothing.

Imperfect progress is better than abandoning your efforts to accomplish what you’re hoping to achieve.

I’m working on my Plan B – and while I am, I’m cheering you on, too.

Choosing to Embrace Plan B https://bit.ly/37CWXaL #challenges #encouragement
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'The most successful people are those who are good at Plan B.' Quote by James A Yorke https://bit.ly/37CWXaL #PlanB #success
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