That One Choice That Changes Everything
You always make decisions in high school—some big, some small. But what if your choices set you up for something bigger than you expect? What if, right now, you’re at a crossroads without even realizing it?
Have You Thought About Your Choices?
Every day, you think about so many things. Like decisions, the decisions you make may feel easy, and others might feel important. Have you deeply thought about these decisions? You may be following your friend’s path; what they want to, or pick classes because they seem easy or they’re popular, not because it’s what you want. What if the tiny decisions shape your future in ways you don’t see yet?
What if the things you’re avoiding now—like speaking up, stepping out of your comfort zone, or taking on something difficult could be the very moments that could change everything?
The Moment You Could Be Missing
Just think about the opportunities you’ve turned down. The chances that you thought weren’t worth your time or the risks you didn’t take because they felt too difficult and frightening. What if that one thing you passed up could have changed your life leading to something huge? There could have been a moment when you didn’t even realize that it was a big deal. Ignoring it could mean you’re missing out on a whole new chapter in your life.
Some choices force us to face who we are, or who we could become. Are you taking the smooth road because you’re scared of hitting bumps? What happens if you keep playing it safe? Could staying in your comfort zone be stopping you from growing? What if the fear of making a “wrong” choice keeps you from making the one that could change everything?
What was the one choice that changed everything for you?
Chloe Ordonez, a senior, said the one thing in her life that changed everything for her was, “The people I surround myself with. I have such kind friends who bring me up. Maybe if I didn’t talk to that person, help that person, or even be in the right place at the right time I would have never met the people that I hold the closest. The choice of the people that surround me made me into the person I am today. And just think of it, me not being who I am right now is crazy to think about.” The people you hang around influence you in so many ways good and bad. In some ways, you don’t even notice. Like adopting some of the things they say, some of their actions, and maybe even the way they think.
Mariam Mussa, a freshman said, “It was when I first started to put myself out there. When I started talking to the people I’m gonna be around a lot, or simply complimenting others I see. Honestly, if I didn’t I would be super lonely, I wouldn’t be friends with the people I’m friends with now. Doing that helped me become more confident in the idea of making more friends and talking to people. Not just keeping everything to myself and staying quiet, that changed my life forever.” Even choices that seem so simple can affect a person in so many different ways. The choice to talk to people changed the way Mussa thought and acted which gave them confidence.
The Choice You Make Now Matters
It’s easy to think the big decisions are down the road—after graduation, after college, after you’ve “figured it all out.” But the truth is, the choices you make now are paving the way for your future. If you keep avoiding decisions that push you, what kind of future are you creating?
So maybe next time you make a choice—whether it seems big or small, easy or hard, fun or boring, take a second to think: Are these choices guiding me to the life I want? Or am I just choosing the easy way out? The decision you make today could change everything. Are you sure you’re making it for the right reasons?
