I spent a good chunk of time putting together a very specific schedule for my week today. Here’s my question…  I’m a huge believer that organizing your time is a key ingredient to success, but does planning your time keep you from living in the moment and enjoying life? What are your opinions/thoughts on this issue? I’m going to take swing at it, with an acting example (of all things).

An actor receives a scene from a movie or play. In this scene, the actor finds dialogue, a story (with a beginning, middle, and end), actions that he/she must complete. When the actor shows up for rehearsal, he/she is told to keep the pacing of the scene up, told specific blocking (ways to move), and then the scene partners rehearse the scene over and over again. So, here we have this actor who must live the life of their character while having a very specific plan that they must follow. If it is possible (although difficult) for the actor to live moment to moment while being conscious of what they are saying and how; where they are moving and why; and of the time frame in which they have to get all of this accomplished, surely it must be possible for the hyper organized human being. If the actor can know exactly where they are going in the play, and yet still enjoy the moment. It must be possible for me to plan my day by the hour, and yet still appreciate and enjoy every hour as it comes.

There is a catch, of course. In acting and in life, living in the moment requires that you allow for your plan to change. That’s where the magic happens. Something unexpected could happen in a performance that changes how you feel and how you react. You could accidentally stumble upon a different meaning for a line. Then, even though you’re still following the skeleton of the scene – you’re also living in a world of spontaneity. Now, let’s translate that into real life. You’re going along following your plan exactly, when all of a sudden something happens that could cause your plan to change. You meet someone on the streets, you receive an unexpected opportunity, or you win something. Although it’s important to have an idea of where you want to be, sometimes it’s best to leave it up to the universe how you get there.

This week has been all about being conscious of how you spend your time. The thought I’d like to leave you with is this: Live your life based on your values, aim for one percent improvement every day, and if you don’t like starting over… don’t quit. You should feel fulfilled after everyday. Yesterday, I didn’t do any school work after getting off work, but instead went to the beach and had a lovely evening with my boyfriend and some great friends. This time spent loving and laughing is just as, if not more, valuable as time spent working on my craft. Happiness – that is the end goal. As I walked along the beach I saw happiness all around me. I saw a couple propped up on a rock having a picnic. They had the picnic basket, the checkered blanket, the whole nine yards. I should have taken a picture, because it was like a scene from a movie. Before seeing the couple, I watched a little girl and boy dancing on the seawall. They were completely uninhibited in their movement, and were both consumed with laughter and excitement. Happiness is truly what life is all about… sometimes I need to be reminded of that.