Taking the Plunge Into the Unknown – Making the Big Life Choices

As we traverse life, noxious thoughts of doubt, hopelessness and self-defamation try to capture us in their grip. But these negative sentiments can be stowed away for there is an alternative path that we can choose. When faced with a situation, we can choose to either sit back and watch our lives unfold with no change for the better or we can bravely become the master of our own destiny and take the plunge into the unknown.

The unknown can be daunting and it can feel like standing before the abyss with nothing but your own will power to carry you forward. How do we make the right decision during such times? How do we know what the right decision even is? There is so much uncertainty and fear involved in taking a risk that it can seem almost easier to just sit back and wait.

But if we do this, our lives will remain unchanged and in limbo as we wait for the ‘right’ answer to fall into our laps. This is not how life works. Life is not an exact science and it never will be; change is inevitable, whether we want it or not. So how do we face this fear and make a difficult decision?

The first thing to do is acknowledge that life cannot be lived in a bubble of safety or comfort. It is a very strong human instinct to search for calm, serene environments as opposed to messy, chaotic ones, but it is important to recognize that sometimes risk and uncertainty are necessary for growth. Without taking a risk, we cannot learn. And without learning, we cannot grow.

The next step is to make sure we have thought through all of our options without taking any one of them too seriously. It can be tempting to think of the only choice to be the one currently in front of us, however we should still explore other possible opportunities and consider them before making any permanent decisions.

It is also helpful to consider how a particular decision might benefit us in the long run. It may not be beneficial right away, but it can help to focus on the potential benefits that this choice could bring in the future. This focus allows us to view our options with a bit more clarity and helps to remove any fear associated with the situation.

Finally, it helps to remember that failure always carries with it valuable lessons, no matter how hard it may seem. Failing is not always a sign of weakness, but rather of courage and bravery. Failure teaches us how to be better and wiser for the next opportunity. It gives us insight into our capabilities and reveals new paths which may lead us to even greater success.

We are all faced with choices that appear intimidating and overwhelming. But if we approach these choices with an open and humble mindset, we can allow ourselves to take the plunge into the unknown and break free from restricting life situations. We have been given the gift of life and this should be embraced, explored, and valued regardless of the outcome.