Dare to choose

(This short article is dedicated to all my friends who have written me complaining of how difficult it is to choose which path to take in life...and to all those out there who share the same sentiments.)

While growing up, I was bombarded with sets of mantras to live by, examples of such being:

1) Limitless opportunities await the young.

2) Go where you will be happy.

3) Dream big and follow your dream.

I soaked these all up; innocent little me knowing no other manner but acceptance. Today, I beg to differ. Not that I disagree completely with these pieces of advice. It just so happens that, as in all things, decisions we make in life are never easy nor clear-cut.

When young, it is so easy to answer the question of "what/who do you want to be?" without a trace of hesitation. A boy dreams of becoming a doctor without having an idea of what the entire process of becoming one entails. A girl dreams of becoming a teacher, somewhat mistakenly thinking of the high respect and status this profession would bring her. Another girl dreams of finding love and marrying her "one and only," not knowing that one first has to recognize true love and work with her "true one" to make this love last. Yet another dreams of leaving home and attending a reputable school elsewhere, not expecting that he would be left orphaned and destitute at an early age.

If all the world were fair and just, with regret and misfortune no longer in the picture, then there would be no cause for even the smallest of complaints. However, as aforementioned, life is complicated. Ideals are often lost once one realizes that one cannot live on ideals alone.

My entire point? Pampered as most of us are throughout our years of studying inside school halls, we are often left disappointed after the initial euphoria of graduation wears down and we face what lies ahead. We experience great difficulty finding that "perfect’" first job or even getting that first interview. We realize that following the entrepreneurial path is not as easy as it seems to be when reading articles about "self-made businessmen." We find that we are less inclined to take risks as we initially thought we were. We realize that all we’ve learned in college might all be for naught once we take a job so different from the originally planned career. More so, the true implication of the labeling of Philippines as a third-world country hits home when faced with such a bleak job market. Some may find themselves spending more and more time on making compromises and lowering previously set expectations.

The younger, luckier ones are merely bound by indecision. Opportunities are lined up in front of them and choosing among all these is the greatest problem of significance they face. The less fortunate ones are frustratingly bound by various forces which are no longer, or were never in their control to begin with. Some regret not having studied as much in college; some regret not picking the right course. The bitter ones rant at the seemingly unfair recruitment process of companies and at the corruption of supposedly noble institutions.

Even with all these being true, don’t be discouraged. So many of us are in the same boat of indecision. It has been said that the greatest thing about having graduated is the freedom and ability to choose where we want to go and what we want to do. With the right amount of effort and perseverance, we need not be stuck doing the same thing for long should we choose not to. Even those seemingly settled down in their jobs suddenly quit and make career shifts. Don’t antagonize too much about the pros and cons of every decision (unless major) that you have to make.

As a wise friend of mine once told me, "Choices we make are choices we eventually have to make in life. Apples to apples, we have to decide on our own on which paths our lives will take and simply make the most out of the choices we make." And based on all the above-mentioned, I thus make a new set of principles to live by.

1) Limitless opportunities await you – you just have to go knocking on doors looking for them.

2) Go where you will be happy – but don’t be afraid to make sacrifices for long-term satisfaction.

3) Dream big and follow your dream – but remember that humility is often a key to success. Starting at the bottom does not necessarily mean staying at the bottom forever.

Simple as they are, may they help those of you yet confused by the line "the right path to take in life."…as I often am.

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E-mail me at stephaniecoyiuto@yahoo.com for your comments or suggestions.