Have you ever made a bad decision that you think will define you forever? There are some cases where you might never be able to take back a choice you’ve made. Though this sounds frightening, don’t worry. You can always change what choices you make from that point going forward.
We don’t live in a perfect world. As humans, we often mess up over and over again, and it will continue to be that way for the many generations that follow our own. So, ask yourself, if someone makes a mistake once, should they be defined by it forever? Or should we focus on how they act after poor decisions?
Everyone has to make choices on a daily basis. Some of these decisions are more daunting than others. Many seniors have already made their college decision, while others are trying to figure out what they want to do this summer. No matter what, everyone has choices to make. Sometimes people even make the wrong choices. It is okay to regret your actions, but understand that one mistake does not define who you are.
Perhaps you didn’t try your hardest this year in school. No matter what grade you are in, next year you can choose to work even harder. No, it might not be as “fun,” and yes it will take more effort, but wouldn’t you rather say you tried as hard as you could instead of taking the easy path? You are given a life to live, and a brain to think, so make the most of it and challenge yourself. You might not always be successful, but at least you can say you tried.
This is not a lesson that you’re learning all of a sudden, either. This has been a message directed at most from a very young age by Dr. Seuss: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the one who’ll decide where to go.”
So take a page out of Dr. Seuss’ books (not literally, though) and make changes if you need to. Be who you are, but realize that previous actions don’t have to define you forever. Sometimes one might wish they could go back in time and make changes. However, what makes life so special is that there is nothing to do but move forward.