Haven’t you ever wanted to just pack your bags and take the next flight to see the Broadway lights in New York City or watch the sunset on a beach in Greece? What if we all did more things like that? What if we threw caution to the wind and said forget about our responsibilities, let’s go on an adventure.
Is being spontaneous really that easy? Just packing your bags and seeing where the wind takes you?
I think dropping everything to go on an adventure is not that easy, and maybe not even that simple, but that doesn’t mean you’re not spontaneous. More often than not, we overthink when it comes to making decisions in the moment. We have this feeling that just compels us to agree with anything, and then, our mind starts racing. We start drawing all these conclusions on whether or not the decision we’re making is logical. We think of all the factors that come into play.
When I say spontaneous, I do not mean impulsive. There is a very distinct difference between the two, and impulsivity generally has a negative connotation to it. To be spontaneous is to freely let natural feelings and instincts dictate your decisions, and impulsivity is to give in to an urge that is not governed by reason.
For example, say a person is walking on the beach. They may, all of a sudden, spontaneously take off their shoes and run clothes and all into the waves. But, someone who acts impulsively may see a jellyfish in the sand and just touch it. Spontaneous does not mean harmful, but I think a lot of people have a hard time telling the difference between spontaneousness and impulsiveness.
So, do you think you are a spontaneous person?
“I feel like it depends on the situation,” said Madeline Marx, a junior marketing major. “If it is an important decision, I am not, but if I am just hanging out with someone, then we don’t need to make a plan. We’ll just hang out and do whatever. Who knows what could happen.”
Instead of dwelling on our decision-making, what if we just let things go unplanned and go with what feels natural? Instead of worrying about whether this is the best decision, what if we just thought it was a good decision?
Last week, senior graphic design major Grace Arnold and her friends took a spontaneous trip to New York City. She said her unplanned adventure was one of the best experiences of her life.
“I think this trip was important to me personally because I’m not a naturally spontaneous person and this year, my senior year, I’ve committed to being more spontaneous,” Arnold said. “The trip was a testament to that commitment and is what made it truly memorable. How many people can say they went to New York for 24 hours with their college friends on a Tuesday?”
I think people take a step back from being spontaneous because it can seem scary to make an in-the-moment decision. I think we think about the future way too often and don’t focus enough on the present.
Yet, a question still remains: Would we benefit more from repressing those thoughts and leading our lives more spontaneously?
“In fact, when we suggest that someone act more spontaneously, what’s implied is that it would benefit them to adapt more readily to changing circumstances–in a word, become more flexible,” said Dr. Leon F Seltzer, a psychologist for Psychology Today. “In a sense, we’re telling them to trust themselves more, to have more confidence in their ability to appropriately do something without first having to mull it over.”
Maybe, then, the question isn’t “Are you spontaneous?” but “Do you want to be more spontaneous?” In short, my answer would be yes.
I recently made the spontaneous decision to go to a concert with a friend. She asked me last minute to join her in seeing Maggie Rogers in Nashville the night before the show. I threw all my worries away, blew off getting ahead on homework and spent the next 24 hours driving to Nashville, going to the concert, then driving all the way back to Milledgeville to get to work.
Living a spontaneous life can look as simple as putting down your homework and picking up your friends in the middle of the night to go get ice cream, or it could be as extreme as deciding to call out of work and go on that beach trip you’ve been putting off for months.
Being spontaneous can lead you to be more flexible and adventurous. Instead of thinking “How will this impact my future?” let’s think of it as “What memories can be made from this?”
