Cut down on the "What ifs?" in your life!

Decision-making is an integral part of our lives. We do it all day, every day, although most of the time we aren't even aware that we are doing it. That is because many of these decisions are easy and don't necessarily involve any drastic changes: Should I buy this brand or that brand of butter? Should I check my emails before or after my shower? Which route should I take to work today? Should I have eggs or cereal for breakfast?

Some decisions, however, have life-altering consequences, and because of fear or lack of experience, sometimes we choose to procrastinate instead of making the right choice. Should I get high with my friends or say "NO" like my parents taught me? Should I face up to that bully or lay low and hope he finds a new target? Should I accept this new job even if it means moving far from home? Should I start my own business or be content with a regular paycheck?

Then, once the moment to make the right decision has passed, the "What ifs?" slowly start to creep into our subconscious and then into our conscious mind. What if this was my golden opportunity and I let it pass me by? What if I had listened to my parents? What if I had accepted that new business proposal? What if I had taken a chance? What if I had been braver or bolder? What if I had followed my dream instead of bending to conformity?

"What ifs?" plague our lives, but we usually manage to push these regrets to the back of our mind, especially when we know, deep inside, that we've made the wrong decision. The problem with trying to forget our mistakes, instead of owning up to them and learning from them, is that when we are faced with a new opportunity or challenge, we are doomed to repeat these same mistakes, again and again, unless we learn to conquer our fears and misgivings.

That's why I've taken to heart what a very wise man once told me: "At the end of your life, you'll regret many more of the things you DIDN'T do, and far less of the things you DID do, because the things you'll have done –good or bad– will have taught you important lessons and made you grow into someone I can be proud of, and that's what this life is all about".

It's true, life is a learning experience and the more we learn the wiser we become. Although it takes a lot of courage to take action and deal with the consequences of our actions, if we never take chances, how will we know what we've been missing? How will we know what our full potential could have been if we insist on making the wrong choices or no choice at all? It's like the lotto: it's a gamble, but we'll never win if we don't buy a ticket!

So let's try to cut down on the "What ifs?" and regrets in our lives. Let's be bold and make the right decisions; the choices we know in our hearts to be the right ones, even if they aren't the easiest.

Have a great week, and if you decide to visit my website, please do so with an open mind. That way, you'll have one less "What if?" in your life to deal with.