Day 5

Monday hits like a sledgehammer as a cyst bursts in my ovary. The day is a write-off as I sit in emergency gynaecology after a five-hour wait in A&E. So, for dinner I suggest a takeaway, even though we’ve got food defrosting.

Relief washes over me as we abandon our leftovers. I think about my usual habits and realise that planning (and sticking to said plan, come hell or high water) can be more exhausting than just letting things go.

Studies show that planning can take up a lot of mental energy. A more spontaneous, ‘let it go and let it flow’ approach means small acts of kindness, like this. It shows we’re willing to prioritise ourselves – a valuable part of self-care.

Day 6

Taking it easy, I decide today’s small act of spontaneity can be something simple. And then I see a job posting for a dream role. Cobban tells me, “Openness is a personality trait that is known to improve opportunities.” I think to myself, fuck it. Why not? And click send on my application.

Day 7

I’ve been offered an interview for that job. Beaming, I run to tell my partner and we go out for an impromptu iced coffee and some really terrible chicken wraps to celebrate. Unbothered by the abysmal taste, I shrug it off. It’s not the end of the world. After all, we have biscuits at home.

Surprisingly, for a week of that consisted of being caught in the rain, a chronic fatigue flare-up and a stint in emergency gynaecology, I’m feeling incredibly chipper. With a potential new job on the horizon and inspiration aplenty, my cup runneth over. Maybe there really is something to this spontaneous thing.

Research has shown that living in the moment can open us up to new ideas, help us be more present and even encourage our brains to develop new coping mechanisms – but also that some people are naturally more spontaneous than others. We’re all wired differently. But the good thing about the human brain is that it can be rewired. We are all capable of reckless abandon.

Stepping outside of a comfort zone can feel nerve-wracking, but Cobban reminds me that this is entirely normal. “If you’re finding [being spontaneous] difficult, if you’ve got some anxiety around it – which most people will have, because we all do when we step outside of anything that’s comfortable – start with something that doesn’t matter,” she says.

Trying new things can also make us feel a sense of awe about the world around us, enriching our wellbeing by putting stress into perspective – something I think we could all use a little bit more of. While I won’t be retiring my daily to-do lists and social planning habits, I will be easing off, leaving the door open for spur-of-the-moment decisions. After all, if my new nose ring is anything to go by, spontaneity looks good on me.

Images: Getty

“Being a rigid planner was making me miserable. Could I learn to be more spontaneous in a week?”