Sometimes It Helps to Have a Destination

Today I woke up after a rough baby night and just couldn't do my early morning run. Baby was up at 3 a.m. wanting to chit chat and gurgling around for at least an hour. Crazy thing was, I wanted to chit chat back with her, but knew it would set a bad pattern to engage her at that hour if I was trying to teach her the difference between night and day, so I had to just wait it out.

But, I digress. Too tired to run, I had to figure out what to do for a workout, and with low motivation, it needed to be good...Why not go to the library?

After doing an hour's worth of work from home, I got the idea. I recently had a wave of renewed interest in things French as we're going to Quebec City and Montreal this fall and are planning a trip to Provence and Cote D'Azur for next summer. Plus, with the sorry state of worker leave (maternity/paternity/vacation) in this country (contrasted with the luxe French way) and butter from the croissant I had for breakfast still on my fingertips, I had to feed the need and get some books to help transport me. The high temperature for the day was supposed to be 96 degrees (Fahrenheit), so we had to get an early-ish start and be quick about it. I'd finish up my work later.

So, off we trekked to the library. Three miles away, six miles round trip. I brought the stroller as well as the Maya wrap, which baby started out in, so we could alternate for both her and my comfort. I made sure to drink alot of water and breastfed baby throughout the trip to keep her hydrated, too.

It was definitely a decent workout and I got a set of CDs and workbook to learn some French as well as Mireille Guiliano's latest book French Women for All Seasons. (I'd previously read her book French Women Don't Get Fat and really enjoyed it.) I also grabbed an Umberto Eco book I saw and a book of bear poems to read to the baby (the latter, that is). I was set.

Walking home, I felt a sense of accomplishment. I'd found a great way to work in some good exercise and make a little bit of an outing of it. And I thought...it was cool to have a plan, to have destination.

Throughout most of my life I operated without a plan, letting whatever happened to me shape my future. I had a variety of interests and achievements. Playing flute, singing, writing and drawing as a child. Doing well at sports as a teen. It never all came together in a plan, though. I had no clear idea of where I wanted to be. Somehow, through the course of my 20s, over different relationships, jobs like waiting tables and selling leather sofas, I cobbled together a college education. I won't go into any more details in this post, but suffice it to say that I didn't plan much til I met my husband who is a big-time planner. Let me tell you, it helps to plan!

Both our plans for the future trips and my goal for the day of making it to the library on foot with a 6-week old provided me with inspiration. In future posts, I'll give more specific examples of how planning has allowed me to have a better life. For now, I'll just say that having a plan--a destination--in mind allowed me to have a better day.