Hello,
Do you know how I usually plan my travel? A full itinerary. Google, YouTube, probably some AI, and a backup plan for the backup plan.
My recent trip to San Francisco was different.
A friend I've known since undergrad invited me to come see his city. We hadn't properly hung out in years, but the vibes were always there. When I asked about the plan, he said, "Bro, don't worry, I got you!"
And for once, I let him. I booked a return flight and that was it. Literally!! No idea where I was staying, what we were doing, or who all I'd meet. For 10 whole days. Lol.
What happened? I met some of the best people of my life, in addition to all the amazing people I already know (if you're reading this, YOU are one of them 💚). I got to spend some quality time with his family, and SF was apparently unusually sunny that week ☀️
Then came the gym day. After all those calorie dense croissants (not complaining, they were delicioussss), we had two things planned for the day. Just 2 for an entire WHOLE day.
First up, the condo gym. We headed downstairs and it was closed for repairs. So we tried the next building's gym. Closed for cleaning. We wanted to move so badly that we pivoted to pickleball. No idea for how long, but we went. Best session ever, even though I lost all 3 matches. I'm blaming the croissants 🥐😂
Next stop: The beach, for the rest of the day.
This was easily one of the best days of the trip. Not because we planned it, but because we didn't plan the outcome. We just wanted to have Fun and didn't really control how we were gonna have it. That's the beauty.
Here's the thing about our bestie brain: it's a prediction machine. Dopamine fires hardest when something turns out better than we initially expected, not when everything goes exactly as per plan. Plan every minute and you take away your brain's chance to be surprised.
So Yes, make plans. But No, you don't have to plan the "Outcome." Leave room for the magic to happen organically ✨
This week's nudge
Pick one thing coming up: a plan, a conversation, a goal that's been lingering in your head for a looong time now. Don't plan the "result." Plan how you want to feel after the result happens. Write that feeling down Now.
After it's done, come back and ask: did letting go of the outcome make it feel better or worse?
There's no right or wrong. That's yours to decide, and in my humble opinion, it's the part which you can actually control.
Hit reply and tell me: what's your favorite travel destination so far? Across the world or across your city, it all counts. I read every single one 💌
Feel like tapping into my previous thoughts? Go here:https://hereandnowlife.co/archive
Talk to you next week.
With Love & Care,
Narman
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