It is a difficult dilemma: you actually want to cancel your plans, but it is very last minute. It is not nice for the other person to cancel them, but letting them continue is not the solution either. What now? This is why canceling plans last minute is sometimes a good thing.
It can save you a lot of stress
Making plans is always fun in the moment. You have something to look forward to. But sometimes it happens that the day of your plans arrives and you get a lot of stress about it. How are you going to get there? What if the train breaks down? Is the weather good enough for what we are going to do? These types of thoughts race through your head and turn your enthusiasm into worry. Once you reach the point where you would rather not go because of all the stress, it might be better to cancel. It is also not fun for the person you are meeting if you are so tense there. Give yourself the relief and cancel. You thank yourself afterwards.
You free up time for other things
The stress you experience that makes you want to cancel your plans may also be because you actually want or need to do other things. Think of working on an assignment for school or preparing a presentation for work. These types of tasks can give you a lot of stress and the plans you have made can get in your way enormously. By canceling plans you create more peace in your mind. This way you give yourself time to do what you need to do and you don’t have to worry about being stressed with your friends.
You and your friend are now making new plans that will work out much better
Sometimes the stress you experience for your plans is mutual. Sometimes it is not entirely convenient for the other person and you only find out at the last minute. To save you both a lot of stress, it is sometimes better to cancel and reschedule. Choose a time that is more convenient for both of you. This way you both benefit from the situation.
You save money
Making plans usually costs money. You have to travel, you go for a drink or something to eat or sometimes you go somewhere where you have to buy a ticket. We live in times in which we all have a little less freedom. Canceling plans for financial reasons is certainly a good reason in our opinion. If you find canceling plans because of costs annoying, you can also suggest doing something else that is less expensive. For example, meet at someone’s home instead of in a bar. Opening a bottle of wine at home is always cheaper than ordering wine on the terrace.
You can relax for a while
We all recognize the feeling: you are stressed about your plans and suddenly they are canceled. They are canceled by the other person and so you feel enormously relieved. If you feel relieved, it may mean that it was a better idea to cancel the plans in the first place. So do you think it would be a relief if the plans didn’t go ahead? Then this is a good sign to cancel them. Now you can use the time to snuggle under your blankets and read a book or watch a series. Meeting up with friends is fun, but so is taking some time for yourself! And remember: Canceling plans doesn’t make you a bad friend, as long as you do it for a reason and always consider your friends’ feelings and time.
