BEST-LAID PLANS DON'T ALWAYS GIVE A HOOT

BEST-LAID PLANS DON'T ALWAYS GIVE A HOOT!
But they can reveal a much-needed roadmap for getting back on track once the dust has settled.

Let me explain.
That dust began to unsettle when the weather enticed me outdoors for an afternoon walk on a recent spring day, Good Friday.

Now, I like to stroll and take my time, so I often like to walk alone.

I also like to take photos, so I almost always have my cell phone to capture those split-second moments of sunlit leaves and streaking patterns of late afternoon shadows. Few things thrill me, like nature's artistic hand.

If you haven't seen some of those photos in the PROMPTS on my website, I invite you to browse those shots. I think you'll like what you see.

On this day, however, my phone lay on my desk, in my office, and not in my pocket. Photos, I thought, would just have to wait until next time.

I strolled around The Pointe, among the shops and a movie theatre. Then, I stepped inside Far From France to see if they would be open for brunch on Easter morning. I thought my husband Ken, a baker himself, would like that.

I chatted with a delightful young lady and perused the artful display of Parisian delicacies in their warm and inviting atmosphere. I promised to return in a few days for Easter brunch.
Easy as that, our plans were set.

It turns out there would be no Easter brunch, at least not there. However, there would be what passed for one on my hospital tray that morning. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Crossing the parking lot and just beyond a hotel under construction, there it was. Unseen. Unforgiving.

An inch or more rise on a newly laid sidewalk snagged the toe of my tennis shoe, and I went down.

First, I landed on my knee and then apparently on my opposite arm. It was broken. I remember saying out loud to no one, "Oh, no! No!"

With my dominant arm dangling, I noticed my skinned knee. It was just a scratch—nothing to worry about, or so I thought.

I sat there contemplating my next move. How in the heck would I get up and go for help?

A Hispanic man approached me, holding his phone out and showing me the word "Ambulance." I asked if he could call my husband instead. I began giving him the number, hoping he'd understand. He didn't and apologized.

A woman and her daughter came to my aid. "Don't move," she commanded.
"Can I call someone for you?"

Oh, that would be wonderful, I thought.

"My husband," I said, giving her the number. He didn't answer, so her daughter texted him. Within five minutes, both the ambulance and my husband were by my side.

As the paramedics approached me, one tripped on the same section of sidewalk! He was luckier than I.

Once they had a good look at me, sitting there with a broken arm, sunglasses scratched and askew, and the beginning of a black eye forming, the challenge became getting me in the ambulance without doing more harm.

I'll spare you the details, but just know that maneuver and the last month or so have been a bit bumpy. My left leg is in a brace, having shattered my kneecap. It will take about eight or ten weeks to mend itself. To date, I'm on Week six. The good news is the doctor says no surgery -- at least for now.

My right arm didn't fair as well. Two plates and a half-dozen screws or so were implanted the day after Easter. But I'm fortunate to be sitting here, leg propped up, sharing this news with you. It could have been much worse. But this definitely was NOT in my plans for Easter or the following weeks.

What does this have to do with 'best-laid plans?

Honestly, I haven't always had a well-laid plan for everything. A to-do list may have been on my calendar or penciled alongside other tasks, with hopes they would be completed "soon."

But sadly, weeks or months would fly by. The same task would still be there -- only to be moved to the next month. After a while, it became a habit.

At some point, I knew It was time to get serious.

The basic adages had been with me since my early Girl Scout days: "Be Prepared" and "Don't put off to tomorrow what can be done today." And, as a daughter of a Marine, I had a complete understanding of what "Failure was not an option" and "Neither are shortcuts" meant.

Fixing this chronic bad habit of mine called for more than the basics. Have you ever felt that way? You might not have shared this with another, but secretly, you may have bought into this practice along the way. 

If so, there is hope. Read on.

I knew that if I could break down large projects into manageable chunks, each checkmark would move me a step closer to a successful completion.

Large projects broken into manageable chunks get us closer to success and completion. That's a simple reminder.

Over time, I've implemented most of my tasks with a well-thought-out and scheduled game plan. Knowing my shortcomings has helped me stay on track.

Taking a fall was undoubtedly outside of my current plan! But it happened.

Fortunately, my roadmap and schedule were firmly in place for that inconvenient, dreaded, spring project: TAX SEASON. My goal? Be completed by mid-March without fail. Come hell or high water!

My plan had all the makings for success. I had marked designated days for gathering every document needed. On other days, I tallied receipts, logged expenses, and double-checked the figures.

With a firm deadline circled and an appointment set, I followed that roadmap like there was a pot of gold at the end. And, not surprisingly, I met my goal! Unfortunately, there was no gold at the end, but it sure felt great! Wahoo!

Had I failed to meet a daily task or weekly goal designated on my roadmap, I could have easily adjusted by jumping back on track and following my original plan.

You see, my roadmap works; it allows for missteps and allows me to jump back on track, and pick up right where I left off.

So, I'm curious, do you have a best-laid plan for completing your writing project?

-What is your driving force—your big WHY for writing? (This big WHY will likely keep you motivated along the way.) 

-Where are you with your writing?
-Are you where you want to be?
-Are you just beginning a project or in the middle of one?
-When is your deadline?

Do you have a roadmap to follow when the unexpected happens so that you, too, can jump back on track?

-Is your roadmap easy to adjust when the unexpected interrupts your flow?
-What does your schedule look like?

From one writer to another, I would love to hear what works for you and what doesn't.

Just Email me at [email protected].

Until then, my advice: Stay upright and keep those precious words flowing!