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To Combat Paralysis Caused by Political Chaos, I Need a Plan of Action
Keep on keeping on
I get a kick out of planning. In ordinary times, I plan with ease.
Grocery lists, vacation agendas, daily “to-do” lists. Each gives me a visceral sense of satisfaction. As I cross off an item on my plan, I feel a boost of dopamine and am motivated to take the next step.
I best learned the value of planning when I was a classroom teacher. I enjoyed planning my lessons months in advance, even though I knew the plans would often change significantly. How quickly or slowly students understood a concept determined how quickly I could move and I frequently changed the plans to meet the students’ needs. I could count on the interruption of a schedule by unpredictable snow days and teacher meetings. But, no big deal, changes to a plan was fine for me. Having that plan in place at the beginning of each month gave me a sense of direction and an immediate sense of calm.
Perhaps, that’s one reason I feel so out of whack every day when I read the news and discover yet another unexpected and destructive turn of events. We are in a constant state of shock. We have to constantly develop a new plan once we get our heads around what is happening.
