Planner

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Not to sound like Pat Benatar, but life is a battlefield, and I am that woman. The planner. Always prepared. I always used my school planner, when I was younger. I even decorated it. I still have the same system, except now it’s in an Outlook calendar. My days have time slots, where I put in my tasks.

I have tons of little Notes on my phone, with lists and ideas. I use sticky notes and stationary lists to organize my week, as well. I am like Jane from 27 Dresses. You can pretty much understand my life by looking at my calendar(s).

I make charts for my 60 active cases, at work. I draft timelines and worksheets. I thoroughly clip together relevant documents and information, in case there is a trial later on. I scan copies of everything. That’s me. It’s like every act is strategic, preparing me for some potential step in the future.

I know that life has its large fuzzy areas of unpredictability. I appreciate that some of my best memories are moments I created spontaneously, without planning. And I know there is a lot in life one cannot plan. That said, there is a lot in life you can plan.

I appreciate my planning ways. It’s not about perfectionism or control all the time, but it’s about moving forward. I am ambitious and curious. I know that I wouldn’t be where I am today, at such a young age, had it not been for God, my discipline, my hard work and my strategy.

Life has never been easy, nor have I had things handed to me. I had to hustle, and basically go to a drawing board and try to envision a map from where I was standing to where I wanted to be.

And while some think it’s a crazy way to live, I think life accomplishments of those who plan prove the contrary. I think the key is to have planning save you from the nervous breakdown versus planning inducing a nervous breakdown. Always a delicate balance.

Life needs order. Take it from someone who was mistaken to be the wedding planner at her best friend’s wedding. There comes a time where everyone needs to know where to stand and what to do next.

Life is a battlefield, and a soldier needs to be trained and ready, to have a chance at winning.

I know that in this life, I don’t just want to be a soldier. I want to be a general. I will always be planning my next move because there is so much still left to conquer.