Interesting daily message on my Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff daily calendar:
Seeing your choices as forks in the road
is very empowering and reassuring.
Doing so enables you to take charge of
your life and helps you realize that it’s
never too late to change direction.
I’ve never been a person that has felt incapable of change or felt that everything is pre-ordained, where we are merely pawns on the board of life.
Lately I’ve been contemplating how what once seemly innocuous decisions have years later become seminal moments.
- Studying at Missouri State University – ended up in a wonderful program, made lifetime friends
- Opting to “wait” on pursuing a doctoral degree – wish that hadn’t taken me away from a potential academic career that I now wish I had! However, I’ve learned an unbelievable amount and gained valuable skills through my current career.
- Moving to Dallas – met and married The Boy.
Have you had moments where a seemingly small decision has had large repercussions?
Do you think that it’s ever “too late” to change course?
I’d love to hear your thoughts!
I heard a story about a young man who wanted to become a doctor but hesitated, saying he'd be past 30 years old before he could get his degree. The counselor asked, "And how old will you be if you don't get the degree?"
I don't think it is ever too late to change course, but I know that we cannot always know the outcome of our decisions.
You may feel empowered and reassured making a choice at a fork in the road. You then have chosen the direction. Unfortunately we cannot know what will come up along that road, whether for good or ill.
You asked about moments where a seemingly small decision had large repercussion.
I decided in high school to prepare for college study in the field of science. (How much of that was my decision? How much was the influence of Sputnik, the cold war, my parents' influence?)
I decided to study German as my H.S. foreign language. (Was I influenced by a guidance counselor who said that is the language of science? That's a myth, but anyway . . .)
That led to a university scholarship to study Physics in Germany on an exchange year. That year had a profound impact on me and it led me to change my major and end up in graduate school at a university which had a good graduate program in German. There I met my future husband.
What would have happened if I had decided in high school to study music, or study French or Spanish instead?
Hey, go for your Ph.D. now, if you're so inclined. With your experience you should really have a leg up.
Not every dream is meant to be or should be acheived, BUT it may be that you could absolutely go for that old educational dream and take a new path in life. You're still young, don't think you're on an non-redirectible path!
It is never too late to go back to school. Plus there are usually great scholorships for those "non-traditional" students!
Thanks for the words of wisdom, all!
I am working on a plan that will help me move from Point A (now) to Point B (where I'd like to be) over the next 10 years.
Somehow, just having a plan to refer to brings a great deal of mental peace!