When Plans Hit a Roadblock

Admittedly, this wasn’t my favorite January ever. Or February. Well, for that matter, not March either.

But let’s back up.

In December, I scheduled two full days for establishing my 2023 business plans as well as my personal goals. Annual goals, quarterly goals, and monthly goals. You get the picture.

I’d made some changes in the focus on my business and I was excited to see where this new focus would take me.

This kind of planning is often a challenge for me. I’ve had a few successes. But also, there were many not so successful attempts. So, I was excited – and feeling quite accomplished – around how I had prepared for the new year before leaving for that off-season beach vacation.

Soaring into 2023, I was more than ready to implement those plans.  All of which came to a screeching halt when I got sick. Then they got delayed when I realized I was sicker than I originally thought. Then there was a doctor’s visit and antibiotics.

But then I got better. Oh wait, maybe not. More antibiotics and this time, prednisone. OK, now I’m for sure better - I’ve been sick twice and it’s only February.

But alas, I wasn’t “better” after all.  And so came a third illness and more medication. More lost time, more lost routine, and of course, no movement forward on those plans I had set.

None of which I had considered on those wonderful December planning days. How would I handle this unexpected and unwelcome change in plans?

I could lament what I lost in time, energy and opportunities. I could whine and complain about progress I would now have to re-establish. I could feel sorry for myself. I could let the set-backs stall me completely.

And with full vulnerability I admit there was a time in my life I would have. Even now, the temptation to complain was lurking.

Or I could find something good and valuable in my experience.

It came with the third illness. Because history tells me this isn’t my usual pattern, I stopped and prayerfully considered, “Is there something I’m meant to learn?” And in my heart, I immediately knew.

I needed to start taking better care of my health on a daily basis. And so, I made changes. I established new routines around nutrition and exercise.  Especially nutrition.

And I thanked the illness for what it taught me.

This year, I won’t be thanking January (or February or March) for catapulting me out of the new year gate.

But I will thank it for cementing these lessons:

• Be present in the moment regardless of what that moment is.

• Seek (and willingly receive) the support of others when I need it.

• Trust myself. I know what I need. Stop doubting it.

• Make plans but stay flexible. Life happens.

And most of all, take care of myself. Every day.

Yes, being sick was crappy.

But the value it brought proved way more important than any set-back it caused.

And with my lesson in tow, I welcome Spring.