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Sometimes we come to a place in our lives where our choices just aren’t clear. This can be debilitating. I think this is because we can sometimes take our lives so seriously- and for good reason. Who wants to mess up? Who wants to make the wrong choice and regret it?

When I studied abroad in college, I noticed something strange. Choices that I had never even considered suddenly came before me. It was as though my creativity had increased ten-fold. I started fantasizing about all sorts of life options. Opening up a gift shop? Why not? Driving across the country by myself? Sure! I think this was because I was in this liminal place where I was removed from my culture and from my usually very strong (too strong?) sense of reality and expectations. Whatever the reason, anything seemed possible.

Now, it does pay to be realistic, don’t get me wrong. However, as I have gotten older, I have come to realize the importance of experience. If we are not in this life to fully experience it, then what is the point? And there are only so many experiences we can truly have if we are always standing at the crossroads. So, if the consequences of failure aren’t too very high, I think there is also a benefit to just making a decision and running with it. Otherwise, we will find ourselves in our old age still standing at a crossroads and wondering, “What if?” Not to mention, pondering choices is stressful in and of itself.

I mentioned in an earlier post in this series the importance of taking a small step. So long as failing won’t cause us severe harm in the long-term, why not take a step towards one choice and see how it feels? Want to go into fashion but unsure about leaving the security of your job? Why not take a class or two to learn more about it? Want to move across the country but worried about the consequences of taking that leap? Why not book a small vacation? Always thought about adopting but unsure if you want to go through the process? Why not request more information? Need to leave a toxic situation that you feel trapped in? Why not take a short reprieve if you feel safe in doing so? Sometimes putting ourselves out there in a small way can have huge results because, even though it’s a little thing, we go from being stagnant to being dynamic. Then it becomes easier to commit to our choice because what was once scary and foreign to us has become a reality.

Today’s wellness spell is:

Get off the crossroads. 

By this I mean, don’t let your life be stagnated by indecision. If the risk isn’t too high, go for it. If the risk IS high, then maybe there is someone you trust, or even a licensed counselor, that you can talk it over with before you make a choice. Either way, none of us deserve a half-life on the crossroads.