I hear this word a lot, consistency. In my profession, it is very important to be consistent. To do things in the same way when possible. Consistency makes things look the same, and that is what provides stability to what we produce. It’s reliable, and dependable, because what is expected is what you get.Today, I thought about this word a little more. In our lives we often say we want consistency, but I believe that we get more out of life when things are inconsistent. It is when things don’t always go according to plan, or according to anything, that we become more alive. We have to think on our toes to figure out what to do, because it’s not what we were expecting.

Consistency in life leads to a scheduled, regimented, routine existence. Some people are content with this, they strive for this. But are they really happy with this kind of life? A life where they always know what they’ll have for dinner, and they always watch the same things on television, or read the same authors?

I believe, strongly, that we must search out the inconsistent strands in our lives, and follow them. We must go against the grain, and do things we don’t expect to do, things we would never dream of doing. We need to surprise ourselves as much as others in our actions, and in our thoughts and dreams. Inconsistent living makes us want to wake up in the morning, because there is always something new to discover.

My whole life has led me on an inconsistent path, through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered. I’ve seen things and felt things that I can never fully express, and never fully understand or explain, and that’s okay. I’ve been selfish and I’ve been kind. And through it all, I am still just me. I am the consistent strand in my inconsistent life.

It’s okay to live inconsistently, but you still need to be yourself at the end of the day, or week, or month, or year. Who you are and what you are can change over time, but your soul will always be the same, no matter how old you get, or how many silver hairs you grow, or how bad your memory gets. Our thoughts and emotions, the things we love, our passions…these things will be with us. And as long as we know who we are, the inconsistencies can come and go, and we’ll still be who we were before they happened.

Be confident, walk tall, smile a lot, and laugh as much as you can. And cry a bit, now and then, when it’s needed. And remember to surprise yourself. If we were meant to all live in the same way, there wouldn’t be so many choices, so many places to go, or things to see. Or books to read, or movies to watch. Or conversations to be had. Or food to eat.

Find the inconsistent, and go with it. But don’t lose sight of yourself. You are the anchor that keeps everything in perspective, no matter how crazy things get.