It's graduation season and that evergreen question keeps showing up in conversations. The dreaded, "what's next?"
As a young person, I loathed that question. For sure, I had answers that sounded wise, but behind them carried buckets of uncertainty. Even though I knew most of the askers didn't know for themselves, I always felt like I had to come up with something good. If you were like me, you probably did too.
Flipping that around for oldies like me is a fun experiment - "what's the best decision you have made up until now?" I figure our answers might inspire all of us. When we are reminded of our good choices, we can use those to fuel the next good ones. What lovely modeling we can offer for those doing something challenging and hard - like figuring out what's next.
My 3 Favorite Decisions (So Far):
Here are 3 favorite decisions that have served me well over time. For sure there are many more. I'm going to set aside the obvious ones -- like marrying my husband, loving on my family, and choosing to follow Jesus. But complete permission to steal those ideas to be your favorite decisions too.
1. Always Have a Library Card.
Whether I was a poor college student or had a job, whether I was in Chicago for the summer or returning to my hometown, no matter my circumstances, the library card always grounded me. It was my refuge place to dream new dreams, study up on my career, escape with fun travel magazines, look at cookbooks or just have a place I could check out as many books as I wanted, for free. No matter what season in life I was, the library card guaranteed there would always be a place to imagine new adventures.
2. Take Care of What You Have.
Treating things with care is really about choosing gratitude. This decision began with my first car (learned the hard way). Later, I soon learned this idea worked well with most everything - plants, clothes, my home, but most especially with health, finances, and relationships. Being a good steward is a habit that is easily practiced with our possessions, but extends most importantly to matters of the heart.
3. Being Okay With Not Knowing.
The decision to admit I didn't know was such a relief. When you don't have all the answers, you can be curious, open, and with a mindset of constant learning and growing. It takes all the pressure off of having to act smart and prove to the world you've got it all together. When I realized I would always have more to learn regardless, not knowing it all became a joy-filled place. And I'm sure people enjoyed my company so much more.
What Are Your Favorite Decisions So Far?
I could probably make a long list of my other favorite decisions, like having a really good plumber friend, keeping a secret stash of ideas for an adventure to Paris, or celebrating my mom's memory on Canada Day. But I will keep it simple.
The best decisions are truly about the heart. It's keeping what you love and fuels you up always as a priority. It's letting go of the things that are holding you back. Truly, it's knowing what allows you to thrive in any season and holding onto those things for dear life.
You've got me thinking.