Pablo Picasso once said: I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else.

As I was working on some changes and edits for my novel A Plan Worth Changing, the irony of changing my original plan for the story struck me as funny.

I think that in the end, the edits I made [on the story] worked out well, and the original story I had in mind drastically changed for the better; change is part of my process and always happens when I write. In fact, I often only get to know or even meet my characters as the story unfolds.

I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else…

I was thinking about this and how it’s sometimes hard to make changes in our work or in our lives. In writing, and after spending hours on an idea, ditching pages and pages of a story really hurts; it feels like so much time and effort is wasted!

But change is hard not only because of the time and planning that went into whatever project we are doing, but also because it means publicly acknowledging that we were wrong, if that’s the case, or having to re-think and going to the extra effort of making the change.

So here is my two cents worth on the subject of change:

1. Don’t ever be too stubborn to miss out on something really good just because you put a lot of thought or work into it, or just can’t let it go.
2. It’s okay to change your mind and change plans; a plan, after all, is just a step by step proposal, a concept, or an idea that you create and doesn’t even have to happen.
3. Priorities change, so it’s expected that a change of plans should follow.
4. Making to-do lists may seem like a waste of time when things change, but they help us stay on track and move forward.
5. Always expect things to change so you aren’t caught off guard.
6. Be prepared to re-write even your top priorities.
7. Some things are beyond our control; mowing the lawn doesn’t make sense when it’s raining, and going to the grocery store has to be postponed if your kid is home from school because he’s sick.
8. Ditching a plan, changing it, or improving on it, will often yield an even better and unexpected outcome.
9. Don’t ever be too stubborn and miss out on something really good just to stick to a stupid plan.

and,

10. I know that I will always make lists; I will always have a plan. I usually decide what I need to do tomorrow when I should be sleeping today, and often times, I’m not even sure why I bother, because I know without a doubt that something will change; life is all about change, expecting it and moving forward with it.

Seasons change, and the world is more beautiful for it.

Thanks for reading,