So Lauren, what's your plan?

Well here's the thing...I don't have one.

Seems like the million dollar question lately. Especially after spending a long weekend in Texas. Everyone must know..."What's the plan? What are you doing? How long are you staying up there? Are you dating anyone? What's next?"

And you know what? I'm just gonna go ahead and say it. No plan! Yep, that's right. I have no plans for "what's next." And surprisingly enough, I'm ok with it.

I feel like I've spent so much time planning for "what comes next" in life. So much time in fact that my plans read like some ridiculous to-do list --

-- Work butt off to make middle school and high school basketball teams. . . .Max out schedule with AP classes to get more college credit. . . .Take college classes in high school to get ahead. . . .Write, edit, re-write college essays to get into UT. . . .Graduate high school with honors. . . .Ace entry-level advertising class to switch to Communications School and change major to Advertising. . . .Spend countless hours perfecting group assignments / prepping for presentations (résumé game-changers after all). . . .Get fantastic internship. . . .Complete degree. . . .Find big girl job in New York City. . . .Success to follow. --

Why the craziness? I don't know. Because that's just what you do? Set goals. Make plans. Move forward. Obvi.

For a long time it seemed like I was really focused on what came next. Plans for high school lead to plans for after high school, plans for after college, plans for a career. If life was a "What's Next" game, I'd surely have been a finalist. I'm kinda great at making plans.

And now? Now I find myself at this strange point in life where the plans just stop. I have yet to make any huge post-college life-changing decisions. Because really, I have no idea what's next. I know I've been lucky enough to do what I wanted to do all along. I am happy. And I'm learning to just roll with it.

A few years ago, it would have terrified me to admit that I didn't have plans for the future. (self-proclaimed control freak, remember?) And ok, it's a little out of character for me. And yeah, sometimes I get anxious for the "what's next." But for right now, I admit, I'm pretty comfortable just enjoying the ride.

Besides, who says you need plans anyway? There will be plenty of time for making plans when I'm older.

Cheers!