As women, we are all about a plan. I have TODO lists galore, and I’ve even retroactively written items on my list, just so I could have the pleasure of crossing them off (come on, you know you’ve done the same thing)! But does all that planning make us better people? Does it make us happier? It certainly lends an air of control to an uncertain world, but is it worth the anxiety that going “off plan” creates in our poor fevered brain?
For the last week, I’ve been trying out our new theme “Love IS the Plan” by letting LOVE drive my actions. When I have an extra minute, instead of opening my email, I’ll ask myself, “What would love do right now?” It’s been eye-opening to say the least. I’ve been petting my grumpy dog for no good reason; I’ve been going outside and letting my bare feet sink into the grass. I’m reading a new book, because my mind is a little quieter than when I watch a crime show. Each day, the answer is slightly different, and my curiosity is at an all-time high.
That curious place is very good for my heart and soul. I’ve come up with a few humdingers of strategic ideas, because I’m open. I’m not trying to force a plan with a pre-conceived result. Love isn’t like that. Love takes its time. It meanders, and it makes decisions clearly—from the heart. There isn’t a Good or a Bad Plan, there’s only what comes next from a quiet place of contentment.
We’ve all heard what love is from 1 Corinthians, but I’m about to tell you what love isn’t:
1. Love is not in a hurry. If you are rushing around like a chicken with your head cut off, you will not hear the voice of Love. It will be drowned out by your struggle with what’s “Uber-important” and stress inducing. If you can get quiet, and say “No” to that next task on the list, you can hear the voice of love making a different suggestion of which way to go.
2. Love does not have tunnel vision. Love has clear, expansive vision. It has a perspective of your life that is so much bigger than what you think you can do, be or accomplish. We have only one life, and Love sees the whole story.
3. Love does not judge. It only observes the next best thing for you to notice or do to take you down your right path. That path may be different than the one you’ve been on for awhile. My path changed with breast cancer. But I could have listened to Love a lot earlier, if I had a life coach lovingly telling me to do so.
4. Love does not shout for attention. It doesn’t use long sentences with big words. Love speaks softly, using short sentences like, “Talk to her; she’s your people. Lie down. Listen.” If you have a running dialog in your head about how unfairly life has treated you or how exhausted and busy you are, you won’t hear Love’s call.
Now that you know what Love isn’t, please tell me what it IS for you. How will you let Love lead your plan this week? I’m dying to know! Please send me an email at terri@girlpowerforgood.com or write it on the Big Board at GPS.
XO
Terri
