How do you answer, "What are you going to DO?"

How do you answer, “What are you going to DO?”

While enjoying a concert under the stars last week, Paul Simon commented that he was on his final tour because he wanted to be able to say he had a good life, not just a good career. HEY! THAT'S MY IDEA I almost yelled at the stage, but he was plucking the opening notes of Sounds of Silence and maybe that would be bad timing.

But he’s on to something. Why don’t we spend time and energy training for a “career” of being a good, joyful person who lives a meaningful life?

When we make that decision to take time away, to be a Forest Dweller, to acknowledge that blank page between chapters, we are inundated with two responses. The first are the expressions - of surprise, jealously, congratulations, and the blank stare (especially if you’re under 75 years old). The second response is the questioning. Many people will assume that you’ve inherited money or have found a Sugar Person to finance your pause. So, what will you do for money? Others believe that you’re finally doing what you were meant to do (which can be pretty interesting to hear). So, you’ll be composing music, volunteering, writing blogs, starting a YouTube channel, or studying the historical significance of garden gnomes?

The most important thing to do is to answer the questioning with confidence, as if you have it all planned out, with profit and loss business projections and everything. Well, I’m glad you asked because I’m planning to create nondairy milk from dandelions and have been funded by a grant from the Toddler Bouquets Foundation. It’s unlikely that they’ll ask for more details, unless it’s my sister… who would quit her job to help you do it.

Sometimes I imagine myself saying, I’m doing a graduate thesis measuring the frequency of over-questioning in everyday conversations, but maybe I feel a little defensive. Maybe, yes, because I actually don’t know what I’m going to do. Or how I’m going to pay my bills when PayPal, Venmo, and my credit union all ghost me.

But I have a plan.

My plan is to not have a plan.

I’ve never done this before. But if we’re jumping off the chaotic dizziness of a previous life, we shouldn’t replace it with something equally measured. We don’t have to be productive in the American collective sense of the word. I'm working on changing my view of what productive actually means. For me right now, that means focusing on self-care and creativity as priorities.

Next – How to plan for not planning.