Opportunities: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly!

I couldn't help writing a blog post as soon as this popped into my head. It's the kind of thing that won't leave you alone until you pay attention to it, so I'll write something quick so I can concentrate on what I was doing again! How many life-changing opportunities have you had in your life? I know I've had my fair share and I'm only 23!  

Yesterday, I was talking to my boyfriend about opportunities.There's always a point in your life where you're presented with an opportunity that seems impossible to refuse. This might come in the form of a master's program you want, a new job opening at another company, a promotion where you are currently working, a chance to switch schools, moving to another city, a trip to a faraway destination or an important event you feel you must attend. What is it that makes us take that jump that seems terribly dangerous? And then again, what is it exactly that sometimes keeps us from taking that next step into the unknown?

I've been in that situation before, I guess we all have. It's horrible... in that moment, you never know what to expect and always hope for the best. Being realistic, the choices and great opportunities in life we take are sometimes tricks life plays on us. I've had a couple of those life-changing decisions turn out horribly wrong. Nothing too terrible, just really difficult to accept that I am responsible for the outcome and consequences - it comes with being a responsible adult! Either way, it doesn't matter how many times our decisions turn out to be mistakes, we all have a knack for falling into the same trap one more time. We say to ourselves: only one more, maybe this one will work, there's no harm in trying, right? The truth is it all depends.

Is there a magic way to know when this opportunity will be a good one? Is it our job to look for more of these opportunities or should we stay away from them at all cost? Another funny thing about opportunities is when we feel we let them go. I've done that too and, somehow, it does feel worse not knowing what would've been. I consider it a horrid habit to be obsessed with the "should've, would've, could've, what-if" moments in life! I've always tried my best to accept things as they are and leave these "what-if's" behind me. 

I know many people who say they hate gambling because they always lose. But, isn't life the biggest gamble ever? We're gambling with it every day, with every opportunity that comes along at any given moment. This is exaclty why being an adult can be so frustrating as well as fun and exciting: you get to choose what to do with your life! The ugly: you can't blame it on others when you weren't clever enough to predict the outcome of the choice you made. Even if, sometimes, life seems to corner you into choosing something.

With all of this burning inside my head, I can only hope that I've learned enough to tell a good life-changing opportunity from a not so good one the next time it comes around. For now, I'll think it's all related to experience and the mileage it gives you.

And yeah, I suck at keeping posts short, haha! That's what happens when you love writing. There's not enough words to expose your whole argument before you notice you're halfway into a thesis.

See you soon,

Ren =)