The other day, while sifting through streams of baby pictures and blurbs of upcoming getaways on Facebook, I came across a post that piqued my interest. This post questioned our traditional understanding of "smart" and suggested that it cannot be measured using academic success - at least not completely. Being the oddball that I am, I was fascinated by how this post challenged socially accepted norms. The main message boiled down to the idea that being truly "smart" meant making the right decisions, at the right time. This got me thinking about the decisions we make every day (and thus, the birth of this blog post!)

The thing about life is that it's full of choices. Our identities are shaped by all of these choices - from the seemingly minute, to the major life changers and everything else in between. To choose well, it really helps to understand what the outcomes of our decisions entail, and then be prepared to face what comes next. Seems easy enough, right? (Hint: It isn't.)

Some decisions are small and easy to manage. Take this morning, for instance. I chose to ignore my alarm and sleep in late. My sleep deprived mind was too groggy to consider that those extra minutes of sleep, while blissful at the time, meant that I'd be in a frantic rush to get out the door, leaving me no time for my A.M. coffee. Jump forward one hour later where the sudden caffeine withdrawal left me dealing with a killer headache and accompanying foul mood, which overshadowed the bit of extra rest I got from hitting "Snooze" on my alarm. Fortunately for me, my temporary lapse in judgement was easily remedied by a hot cup of lightly-roasted brew.

apparently, even choosing the "right" coffee can be complicated.

If only we had a voice of reason to guide us through our decisions and help us really understand what we would be facing, whatever we choose. I might have realized that opting to get a bit more shut eye was short-sighted, and I might have made the wiser decision to wake up on time and save myself a headache. Luckily, this particular choice was easy enough to fix. A trip to Starbucks was all it took. But not all of life's choices are so simple to manage.

During my undergraduate studies, and even throughout most of high school, I was certain I wanted to become a doctor. Passionate about Science and Health? Check. Consistently high marks? Check. Impressive list of extra-curricular activities? Check. Deep desire to help others? Check. I had all the right ingredients for a doctor-in-the-making. I put on my blinders and went full steam ahead down the path of Medicine. I was reassured by my parents, close friends and society that it was a smart choice. In-demand career? Check. Pleases my family? Check. Good money? Check. All of my checklists and pros & cons tables led me to conclude that this was it - my true calling.

If I could only have a heart to heart with my past self, I'd ask her to dig deep and figure out WHY she wanted to become a doctor in the first place, then go into the long-term implications of taking this route. Maybe I'd have saved myself some grief.

Yes, I had all the right ingredients, but what I lacked was a guiding hand to lead me through the realities of pursuing Medicine. It was only during my final year of undergraduate studies that I started questioning whether I was prepared to do another 4-10 years of school (yikes!), or if I was willing to put myself through the endless exams or jump through the various fiery hoops. Beyond that, I questioned WHY I should put myself through this at all. Was it for myself? Or was it to please my parents? Or maybe I was lured by the promise of status and money? Would that ultimately make me happy?

anyone else completely lost on what to do after this?

Graduation came and I breathed a sigh of relief -- for about 2 seconds. Then, full blown panic set in as all of these questions remained unanswered. Freshly tossed off the boat of academia and into the open waters of adulthood, I was paralyzed with uncertainty. Sure, I could do anything I wanted, but that begged the question, "What do I really want?"

Ha, I had no idea!

Faced with this new-found freedom and desire to live a deeply fulfilling life, I wavered. I just wasn't so sure anymore.

I felt like the protagonist of a movie who was dropped into an endless forest, then instructed to "find my way". I had a million decisions to make and no idea how to make them. Needless to say, I was terrified. However, unwilling to give up, I used the resources I had at my disposal and got to work. I got a well paying, corporate job because that's what all capable adults seemed to do. I filled my wardrobe with professional business attire. I quickly learned to walk the walk and talk the talk. This was it! I was doing it! Surely, I had it all figured out at this point, right?

Wrong. Again. This was becoming a frustrating trend.

Corporate wasn't for me - and maybe if I'd had a guiding hand, I would have realized this much sooner. I might have even followed my gut (which many of us ignore all too often) and traveled abroad to teach and experience the world.

Maybe I would have understood sooner that money, while an important factor to consider, shouldn't have so much control over my decisions. I've learned the hard way that it doesn't bring me lasting happiness.

Maybe it would have been easier to get out of my own thoughts and start actually making changes. It might have been clearer to see that happiness, to me, means constant learning and growth in a supportive, enriching environment. More so, happiness isn't so much a destination, as much as it is a journey. It makes sense, after all. Crossing the finish line takes one second. The rest of our time is spent in the actual journey. If we're utterly miserable during our path, will reaching the destination really bring about happiness - or just relief?

Life is a constant process of questioning and decision making. We use what we know from our own experiences. If we're lucky, with guidance from seasoned mentors, we can make better decisions for ourselves.

Every day, I make choices - big and small. I choose to get up and face a new day. I choose to try and be better than I was yesterday, whether that means making the time to finish a project I've been putting on the back-burner or cooking myself a healthy meal. I choose to keep learning and growing. I choose to share my experience with my students, so that they are better equipped to make decisions, understand the consequences and take command.

What will you choose?

-Francesca

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Decisions, decisions. What do your decisions say about you?