All of us have met with life changing decisions over time. These decisions might include the schools and colleges you chose to attend, the people you dated and/or married, the homes you live in, the places where you live, and the jobs you train for and engage in. These decisions alter the course of your life in significant ways expected and unexpected.
I always thought that I'd like to be a teacher, but then when I finally made the decision to earn my teaching degree in graduate school, it was a life changing decision that led me on a journey decades long that included the hefty teaching schedule, meeting many wonderful children and educators, and being apart of a vibrant community that for the most part valued and prioritized the needs and potential children hold for good living.
While we often have a lot of say over those big decisions in life, a portion of those decisions are left to others. For example, I chose to be a teacher, but I was chosen to work in a particular school system. Similarly I chose to have children, but the children I had, in some respects, were chosen for me. I chose to live where I live, but many factors outside of my control landed in the neighborhood and home where I live. Life decisions are not completely within our grasp, and this is neither good or bad, but instead varies depending on multiple events and cirumstances.
This unknown aspect of life changing decisiosn depend a lot on our mindsets and attitudes--how do we react to the aspects of decisions that are out of our control--what do we do? For example, after sending out over 60 applications for teaching jobs, I was offered a couple of jobs. I chose one, and then embraced that position heart and soul for more than three decades. I was committed to that role, and didn't think a lot about the jobs I didn't get, but instead focused solely on doing that job well.
With college admissions, I didn't get into my first choice--a choice made without a lot of research so it wasn't a great hardship for me. And as I did with teaching, I fully embraced the school I did attend and never looked back.
Most of the big, life changing decisions in my life, though not totally in my control, were thoughtful decisions that have made my life better. Even the decision to retire due mostly to COVID-19 risk has resulted in greater time to spend with my parents and family as well as more time to devote to multiple interests and projects that I am committed to. While I miss some aspects of my teaching life, I am fully embracing this new chapter with gratitude and an open mind to many events and pursuits I longed for in the past, but didn't have time for. This is good.
Today a loved one will learn about a decision that he's invested in, but doesn't have complete control over. A decision will be made that will affect his days ahead. I'm sure that like me, he'll embrace this decision as one more fork in the road that leads him one way or another, and with a positive mindset he'll see the positivity of the choice made for him. Time will tell what that specifically means.
In summary, there are big decisions in life that affect who we are and how we live. We have significant control over those choices, but not complete control--some of what happens is out of our hands, and how we react to that aspect of the decisions makes all the difference with the good living that follows. Onward.