My Journey to Embracing the No-Plan Plan

If you ever meet me, you’ll know in about the first 14 seconds that I’m a planner. Most of the time, that’s a good thing—I get stuff done in the most efficient way possible—but occasionally, it gets me in a bit of trouble and causes some stress in my life. Especially as a milspouse.

When I first started writing for Army Wife Network a couple of years ago, I wrote about being flexible. Although I was talking the talk, let’s just say that my walk was still a bit shaky.

And even a few years later, it still is.

The last year and a half, I have been privileged to serve on the executive board with Protestant Women of the Chapel here at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. It was great. It was fun. It was memorable.

But oh, for the love of chocolate sauce, was it a growth experience.

And let me remind you that there’s probably a reason why these kinds of things are called “Growing Pains” instead of “Growing Parties.”

The leadership positions I held stretched me, especially in the area of being flexible and rolling with the punches. When I first began my leadership experience, I was a hot mess after each weekly Tuesday meeting of about 80-100 women. Exhausted. Stressed. And sometimes even discouraged.

Then, I realized, even if we aren’t physically in the military, we still have to deal with all things military when doing anything remotely related to the military.

Talk about a #Duh moment for me.

Every Tuesday, there was usually a new obstacle that would arise. The Chapel would be locked. Our supplies would have been used by another organization. Watchcare for our children was short-handed.

Eventually, I implemented a system with my leadership team called the “No-Plan Plan.”

It was the rough idea of what we hoped would happen on Tuesday, with plenty of wing-it wiggle room padded in there for the unknowns that were sure to arise.

And wouldn’t you know it? I was no longer living at Level 5 crazy person each week. (Maybe Level 3… or maybe even Level 1 crazy on a stellar week…)

Since that time, I have started implementing the “no-plan plan” into my “real” life as a milspouse.

Slowly, oh-so-slowly, I am getting the hang of it. A small bud of spontaneity is beginning to blossom. And it’s very exciting.

It’s been a long time coming.

I’m already seeing so much fruit from this no-plan plan theory, specifically with the crazy curveballs the military throws at us.

I’m less stressed. I find more joy in my everyday. I’m nicer to my husband. I’m learning to have fun. I’m engaging in ways to release things I can’t control. And, I’m slowly understanding the meaning of rest.

It’s hard and exciting all at once. But I don’t regret it, not one single bit.

Readers, are you a roll-with-the-punches kind of person? Or are you a bit like me and the curve balls of the military throw you for a loop? How do you cope? I would love to hear all about it. Chime in and leave a comment below.

Now, if you will excuse me, I’ve got some no-plan plans to go plan out. (Er, I mean…I am planning not to plan.#WorkInProgress)