The more I’ve had to make life-altering decisions, the more I’ve come to realize that it’s nearly impossible to make the perfect choice.
That’s because the “perfect choice” rarely exists. Every path requires sacrifice. Saying “yes” to one path means saying “no” to another, and walking through one door means leaving another one unopened. We seldom get the best of both worlds. Every choice carries pros and cons, and all we can do is decide which sacrifices are more worthwhile than others—because each decision will entail some sort of loss.
For many of us, this can lead to paralyzing indecision and the failure to commit to anything. And even after we do make a decision, we’re often left with lingering doubt and a deep sense of unrest about the path we’ve chosen.
If we are not careful, we can be trapped in a constant state of dissatisfaction—doubting our decisions even if they were well-informed; wondering if we are missing out on something better; dreaming up alternate realities of how life could have been if only we had chosen differently; dwelling on countless missed opportunities; and wishing for reality to be something other than what it is.
So here are a few reminders to help you snap out of the cycle of indecision or self-doubt after choosing a path:
1. Accept that every path requires sacrifice.
You will never be satisfied if you expect to have the best of all worlds after making a decision.
Getting married means giving up the freedom to entertain other potential partners. Traveling nomadically means not developing any roots. Spending more time at work means less time with family. Living in a more affordable neighbourhood means longer commutes to work. Every option requires giving something else up—but there is also so much to gain by fully devoting yourself to one path. The sooner you accept this reality, the more you’ll feel at peace with the necessary sacrifices you’ll have to make with any path you choose.
2. Fully commit to the path you have chosen and go all-in—at least for a little while—without complaining or wondering what else is out there.
You will never be satisfied if you’re constantly dreaming up alternate realities.
I’m not saying that it’s impossible for you to pivot if you are truly dissatisfied with life. I’m just saying that if you open a door, you might as well walk through it completely rather than having one foot in and one foot out. Sometimes it is better to live with ‘blinders’ on—at least for the time-being—in order to maximize what’s in front of you, rather than constantly fantasizing about alternative possibilities. You can always revisit other options if needed, but while you’re here, be here fully.
3. Practice gratitude.
You will never be satisfied if you are constantly wondering if the grass is greener on the other side.
As cliché as it sounds, life isn’t just about having what you want, but wanting what you have. Life isn’t just about finding the person you love, but loving the person you found. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side; it’s greener where you water it. Perhaps the solution to life satisfaction isn’t to jump ship whenever you encounter a roadblock, but to make the most out of the path you chose—at least for now.
4. Don’t live with regrets.
You’ll never find satisfaction if you constantly dwell on past mistakes or regret the paths you didn’t take, imagining how life could have turned out differently with other choices.
While I was in the midst of beating myself up over past decisions I wish I could undo, my mom interrupted and told me to stop living with regrets. She told me that I had genuinely done the best I could with the limited knowledge I had at the time. If I had known better, I would have chosen better—but I didn’t. So what use was it to berate myself for honest mistakes I’d made with the best intentions?
She was right.
Feelings of regret are constructive because they caution you not to repeat the same mistakes, but they are useless when they lead you to waste precious energy on things you can no longer control. Learn from regret, but don’t hold onto it. You can’t change the past. All you can do is make the most out of the path you are on now and forge a better future.
As Gary Vaynerchuk eloquently says: “Looking backwards f*cks with your neck.”
5. Trust yourself.
You will never be satisfied if you are constantly riddled with self-doubt and questioning your life decisions.
Trust in your own judgement. Trust in your ability to know what’s best for you. Trust in your capacity to make sound choices. Trust in your intuition. Trust in your rationality. Trust in your ability to undergo the sacrifices and losses that naturally come with your chosen path.
More than that, trust in your ability to adapt and pivot in a new direction if need-be. Trust that you will find a way to cope, one way or another, if the path you have chosen is no longer suitable. This will lessen the pressure to make the ultimate “right decision”. In most cases (although not all), your decision doesn’t always need to be the right one forever; it just needs to be the right one for now. Things are rarely set in stone. You are rarely permanently stuck.
In the end, finding peace with the choices we make is less about achieving perfection and more about embracing the reality that no decision is without sacrifice.
It’s about trusting ourselves, committing fully to the path we’ve chosen, and letting go of the endless cycle of doubt and “what ifs.” Life will never offer us a flawless path, but with the right mindset, we can turn every decision into an opportunity for growth and fulfillment. So, the next time you find yourself questioning your choices, remember that contentment comes not from finding the perfect option, but from fully embracing the one you’ve made.
– Celine (@itscelinediaz)
Celine Diaz: Real Talk 