Since I was three years old, I have been drafting a plan for my life. A plan that I expected would unfold exactly the way I wanted it to. However, as I have to realize and have written several times before: you cannot expect your life and the people in it to function according to a script.

I wish I could say I am resilient or that every time I hit a dead end, I am able to bounce back. But the truth is, every disappointment and every failure does leave me disheartened. You see peppy, cheerful motivational speakers on television talking about the need to trust the process. To me, this is easier said than done. Having a plan gives us a sense of stability. It makes us feel like we have some sort of control.

However, the older I grow, the more I realize the importance of going with the flow. Being rigid or set in your ways blocks you from so many wonderful avenues that you didn’t even know existed. It opens your eyes to new possibilities, and introduces you to new connections, forming bonds that definitively shape you.

I am pretty cautious, and until I came to the United States, I would definitely not describe myself as a risk taker. However, I have tried to get out of my comfort zone in my twenties. I went zip lining for the first time, despite having a deathly fear of any kind of adventure. I camped out in a cramped tent with six of my friends, despite being a person who loves her own space and is not used to living out in the woods. I gave people multiple chances to prove themselves even when they disappointed me, instead of cutting them off like I used to do. More importantly, I have allowed myself room to grow and make mistakes, and it is liberating.

However, old habits die hard, and I still do have the tendency of retreating into my daydreams or cursing my luck when I feel like the plot of my life makes no sense to me anymore. But that is completely normal. The important thing to remember is the universe has a plan greater than all of us. And even in the randomness and chaos of it all, you are slowly guided to your true purpose if you just learn to go with the flow.