Overplanning is a Trap- Go with the flow..

I was looking forward to our Trip to India in the summer. We booked Business Class tickets almost six months in advance. It was the first time the whole family was traveling together in business class. I had planned the itinerary in great detail. I knew it would be hot in India but thought I could handle it since I grew up there. However, I was worried about my son, as he had never experienced the hot summer days in the North or West. I bought many gifts for my mom, brothers, and extended family. Since the beginning of this year, I haven’t planned any trips within the US because of the upcoming India trip. I wanted to save all the fun and energy for our Trip to India.

I was traveling to India for the first time in 18 months since my dad passed away last year. Despite feeling a bit uneasy, I was looking forward to seeing all my friends and family. I made sure to complete my project work before starting the Trip and informed my client, leadership, and friends about my travel plans. I shared my excitement across all channels and ensured everyone knew about my Trip. I had big plans to visit three cities and explore various places while I was there. I packed my new dresses and sandals and planned to visit some high-end restaurants. I also packed, considering the weather, and ensured I had all the necessary items.

After a long wait, the day finally arrived, and I boarded the flight to India. The journey was comfortable and enjoyable. I savored the delicious food served in the business class and appreciated the luxury of eating with silverware. I took some pictures to preserve the memories and, of course, to share on social media. Everything went as planned, and the comfort was more incredible than expected. After a 15-hour long flight, we landed safely in India. Now, the real fun was about to begin. The immigration and customs check didn’t take long, and within 45 minutes, we were out of the main section.

After we left the airport and stepped into the outside air, I felt my body and soul reacting to the intense heat. The temperature was a scorching 47 degrees Celsius. I felt as if I had been tossed into an oven to roast. I questioned how I had managed to stay in this kind of heat before, considering it was my home country where I grew up. All I wanted at that moment was to get into the air-conditioned car as quickly as possible. I was hit with waves of anxiety, thinking about how I would survive the rest of my vacation in this heat. However, I tried to push those thoughts aside. I knew it takes time for the body to adjust to a new place, so I assumed I was going through that adjustment phase. I was determined to enjoy my planned vacation and explore the city. Little did I know what awaited me in the days to come…

After spending two days in Delhi, I was scheduled to fly to Ahmedabad. I didn’t get to do much during those two days as I stayed inside the house and took some time to adjust to the new environment. The heat and sweat were annoying, but I hoped I would eventually adapt and enjoy the city. I was looking forward to reaching my hometown, Ahmedabad City. According to the weather.com website, my hometown was supposed to have less intense heat, at least in terms of temperature. However, I was unaware of the scorching heat in Ahmedabad, as it had been many years since I last visited. The experience before I boarded the flight could have been better.

I had a rough start at the airport. Despite arriving two hours before my flight, I still struggled to make it through the crowds at the Delhi airport, begging others to let me check in my bag and get through security. I was close to missing my flight, and tears welled in my eyes, but I kept my composure. I had a moment of doubt, but I refused to let the airport chaos ruin my vacation plans. Despite rushing and pushing through the crowd, I finally made it to the gate, only to find out that the flight was delayed by an hour after all that effort. Well, I could control so much after all. Why chase things that are beyond our control and could change over time? Think about it. We often want to control and plan our lives so much that we forget about unexpected victories. This is why we are taught to become more flexible in life.

I arrived in my hometown late at night and started following my plan. My itinerary included shopping, eating at different restaurants, practicing yoga, and reading and blogging daily. Everything went according to plan for two days, but I woke up with a severe headache on the third day. I thought it was temporary and would go away with some rest and a painkiller, but the next day, the pain got worse, and I couldn’t even stand or sit. I decided to visit a doctor, which turned out to be a painful and lengthy journey. Sure, here is the rewritten text:

I was less than 0.3 miles away from the doctor, but due to my severe headache, it felt like 30 miles. When I finally reached the doctor’s clinic, they immediately moved me to the ER and onto a bed. The doctor examined me and tried to move my neck to check for stiffness, which made me feel nauseous, and I ended up vomiting. As time passed, my pain got worse, and my condition deteriorated. I was given a powerful painkiller injection for temporary relief and was prescribed multiple medications. By the way, for reference and knowledge, doctors tend to prescribe many medicines in India. If you ask for one, you’ll usually have at least five. Seriously!

Anyway, now my trauma has started. Nobody knew what had happened to me and how I got there. I started the course of medicine. I felt a little better for a day. The next day, I had a flight to Bangalore City- Silicon Valley of India. I had planned this for so long. We had an apartment there, and I had not seen my house since I left India for the US. This house was special to us as this was the first apartment my husband and I bought together, and we lived there for five years. I did the interiors of this house on my own. Every room has a theme that speaks volumes about my personality. I like a little bit of everything in life. I am a versatile person. I badly wanted to visit my house and meet new tenants. Moevere, I also wanted to enjoy pubbing in Banglore City. If you would google Bangalore, it’s an IT pub, and pubs are sprawled everywhere. It is a beautiful city where summer is like Chicago; it is chilly in the evening, and fun is unlimited. I had planned to be there for a couple of days. But, with this headache, I was worried.

After receiving the injection, I felt fine for a day, but the following day, I experienced the same symptoms. As a result, I had to delay my travel plans for two days. My husband and son were already in Bangalore, and I was hoping that I would be able to join them in two days. Despite taking the prescribed medicines, I did not see any improvement. I had to go back to the doctor, and this time, I was advised to undergo an MRI scan as it was related to a neurological issue. The doctor changed my medications and prescribed strong painkillers and nerve relaxants. Even after starting the new medication, I still wasn’t able to travel by flight due to my condition.

I had to miss my flight and cancel the Trip. My husband and son changed their plans and flew early to Ahmedabad to be with me. What was going on? I had planned every day of my vacation so meticulously, but nothing was falling into place. For the last four days, I have been in bed. I could hardly eat anything. I couldn’t read, blog, shop, or socialize. My plans and phone were in my head, but it was useless. Destiny and time were executing a different strategy. It was pretty unexpected and unwelcome, for sure. But that’s life. No matter what, I had to pass through this phase. Negativity was around me, and I worried that something serious had happened. Especially with the brain, you get more worried. Thankfully, my MRI report came back normal, which gave me a boost and assured me that there was nothing serious in my head. Touchwood!

Indeed, there was a problem, as the pain was severe, but the report confirmed nothing major. Well, my recovery continued for the remaining part of the Trip, and I had to slow down for sure. I couldn’t follow my plan, but I just went with the flow. It was hard for me initially, but I got adjusted and tried to find happiness with what I was still able to do and accomplish. Sometimes, it’s important to let go and just go with the flow.

However, it was disappointing initially that I couldn’t accomplish my goals as planned. But the positive side of this illness was that I got a lot of rest and could spend a lot of time at home with near and dear ones, which I rarely do. I am always running and trying to cover as many miles as possible. This break was sudden but changed my perspective entirely. In the mad rush of life, we sometimes forget to sit and enjoy the surroundings and quality time with near ones. How much or how far we run, something will be left out for sure. The choice is ours, whether we want to continue running or take a breath, enjoy what we have, and grow some love together. Think about it.

Embracing the concept of going with the flow involves accepting that unexpected events are a part of life and that getting upset about them is often not worth it. It means recognizing that life may have different plans for us, and that’s okay. Going with the flow can usually lead to better outcomes than we initially anticipated. Going with the flow involves finding a balance between planning and being adaptable, having faith that things will work out while remaining open to new opportunities and experiences.

No matter how much structure we incorporate into our lives or how many good habits we develop, things will always be beyond our control. These uncontrollable factors can be major sources of anger, frustration, and stress if we allow them to be. The simple solution is to learn to go with the flow.

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them — that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” — Lao Tzu.