For a week I contemplated what I would write about for my first article. I now sit here on a Friday night, listening to soft music and writing to you all about life choices. Although all of our choices in life may differ; what does not differ is the judgment of others.
Every single thing we do in life is judged by not only society as a whole, but also by our friends, and families. What is even worse is making a choice and having the people who mean the most to you not approve of it. This is when most of us start to question what we have chosen.
Should I have done that? What will others think? Will I lose the people who mean the most to me? Is this worth it?
These are just a few of the questions that come to mind when making impactful decisions in life. However, what a lot of people let slip their minds are the questions, “What do I want?” and “Am I happy with how things are now?”
Notice how I italicized “I” in those questions. Ultimately, the decisions you make in life need to reflect how you feel, not what others want for you.
For example, I know many people who have been involved in an activity their whole lives that they no longer enjoy. However, they continue to participate in this activity. It sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Why would they do something they don’t love or enjoy? Most of the time, the answer to that question is that they are not listening to others and not themselves.
Parents are one of the biggest culprits of this that comes to mind. We have all done something in our lives that we did not want to do but did it for the sake of our parent’s, or someone else’s happiness. When we do this, we are cheating ourselves out of our own happiness. The person doesn’t even need to be a parent, it can be a friend, advisor, teacher, role model, grandparent… the list goes on forever.
Essentially, what it boils down to is that when you are making a decision, big or small, you need to choose yourself over everyone else. I am not saying this will be an easy thing to do, but this will make you happier.
Oh yeah, and remember all those different people I have mentioned throughout the article? If they are meant to be in your lives and truly care for you, they will support you with whatever you choose.
Don’t ever be afraid to do what makes you happy just because others might not approve of it. Take it from me. I’ve done this myself and it is no way to live. Make your decisions on what will be best for you.