Dear Future Self,

I hope that years from now, you never forget that you once did not like the taste coffee. In fact, you hated it. The most important part about this is to keep in mind that for the duration of time that you disliked it, you had never actually given it a shot (no pun intended). Currently, you spend countless hours in coffee shops, and even have dreams to one day open your own. Maybe when you are reading this you will have already done so. Moral of the story, this is the best example I have of giving something a chance. The second best example I have of giving something a chance is Sam Bartlett. But that is a story for another time and place.

Here’s the thing: over the course of the last year, you have learned that nothing is lost by taking a chance every now and then. And that was difficult for you to realize because you get your head so wrapped up in everything happening according to plan. You get anxious and stressed about things not written perfectly in pretty pen in your planner. I think that you sometime forget that you are one in charge of creating a life you love, and that that life might not always be obvious for you to see. You might have to step out of your head for a bit. You worry so much about the future that you sometimes prevent yourself from trying new things. I’m writing this today in hopes of reminding you that if you haven’t done something spontaneous recently, then you aren’t living your best life. When was the last time you did something unplanned?

16-year-old you finally had the self-realization that over-planning kills opportunity for adventure. Over-planning prevents you from doing things like trying coffee for the first time.

Sincerely,

A girl who loves to drink coffee, and is sometimes planning it, and sometimes winging it.

P.S. – Thank you Casey Loving for convincing me to try coffee, and for helping me be a more spontaneous version of myself.