The Sum of My Experiences: My Greatest Life Decisions

Image from we♥it

I haven’t had many experiences, but I’ve still been faced with decisions that changed my life. As the image says above, decisions – right or wrong – stem from and create experience. Be it getting married, going to college, or leaving a bad relationship, decisions can be tough. The change that accompanies them might be difficult to adapt to, but once you’ve made those changes,  you can look back and be proud at what you’ve accomplished.

I’ve been interested in the process of decision making lately, and decided I wanted to make a tribute to the good decisions I’ve made in my life because these are what’s made me who I am today!

So without further ado… I present to you:

My Best Life Decisions (So Far!)

Image from optimism_iskeyxx

Changing my hairstyle up

This may be a  trivial one, but I was never given fashion advice growing up, but one day I visited my mom and she insisted that I get a new hairstyle. So I got bangs and a dramatic cut in length! I adored how they shaped my face and the refreshing new look gave me something I had never felt before: self confidence in my appearance! Ever since then, I’ve been all about styling my hair and being more fashionable.

Taking the television out of my room

Another trivial decision, but a good one. (Especially now that there’s so much junk on television.) Now when I spend time in my room, I do more productive things like writing, reading or painting. It’s more peaceful. I do not want to know what’s going on in the life of Snooki.

Keeping a morning routine

Something about routines gets me stir crazy. However, living a life of complete spontaneity was making me forgetful and unorganized. So I settled for an early morning routine brimming with structure and efficiency.
I get up two hours earlier , eat breakfast, take my vitamins (the most important part of my morning), take the dog out, clean around the house, and read. I’ve gained so much from my morning routine: energy, peace of mind, and preparedness for the day.

Image from Static and Newspaper Print

Putting money in savings every paycheck and keeping it there

I suggest this to any poor college kid. I never have to worry about emergencies because I’ve amassed enough money to acquire a calm disposition in dealing with a potential financial disaster. Laptop fizzing out? Car troubles? A buddy in need? “It’s okay, I’ve got some savings!”

Writing in a journal when I’m depressed

Image from xchancella

This is a big one for me. It wasn’t until my first big breakup that I stopped writing fanciful little nothings and started writing down deep-hearted conversations with myself. My mind spilled everything out on paper desperate for stability.

It was cathartic, and I really found myself through my writing. I learned to forgive, I learned humility, I learned selflessness, and much more thanks to my silly little doodle-ridden composition notebooks and fancy silk journals.

Leaving my stressful job and working at the University

I left my job as a hostess for good when a server cussed me out for seating her while she took an unannounced smoke break. Quitting was a long time coming decision because all the servers were similarly rude to the hosts, and the manger did nothing about it, but this struck my last chord.

I now work at my school as an office assistant and receptionist, and have gained many skills and opportunities. I learned valuable etiquette, presentation, and customer service skills. I’ve been invited to formal dinners, I meet important higher ups and those with the whole-hearted generosity to donate thousands to the school. Networking is a big benefit as well.

Nothing but good things have come from this decision.

Getting the guts to start conversation with strangers

It was orientation day, my first day of college, and I went by myself. I prepared for this day. I came in thinking, “Okay, I am going to start a conversation with at least one person.” I scoured my table for someone to talk to, but everyone was with their parents.

We were given a tour of the school and later ushered back to the reception room and served some bitter lasagna and lemonade highly offensive to my papillae. I saw a guy sitting next to me with the same dish. “I’m going to do it this time,” I thought to myself. I turned to him and asked,

“Does this lemonade taste like toilet water to you?”

We’ve been dating ever since!

Image from sadiemaeglutz

Drinking less caffeine and more water

Water and juice never crossed my mind back then. For me, it was Coca Cola and any other caffeinated products I could get my hands on. When I was 14, I went through a two-week long period of migraines that drove my inner hypochondriac to a panic. I frantically searched a medical book I had lying around and came to the conclusion that I had a brain tumor.

Terrified, I begged my dad to take me to the hospital, and asked for a CT scan. They did it reluctantly, probably rolling their eyes. They found nothing in the scan, and I was relieved to hear that I was just very dehydrated. I was given water through an IV and a long lecture about too much caffeine! Now sipping a coke is an indulgence every once in a blue moon.

Starting Deliciae

The blogging world is full of interesting and smart people, generous enough to share their life and their ideas, and I wanted part of it. I’ve always been a fanciful and flighty human, with tons of ideals and no where to direct them to. So I decided to start a blog. I got into it for a while, then the real tough college courses hit. Now that I’m back, the thing that I truly enjoy most is the readership and getting to know new people. It’s a beautiful way to connect with others.

Going to college (and staying in-state with my family)

It’s the light at the end of the dramatic highschool tunnel: college. It symbolizes freedom, independence, self growth, knowledge, opportunities abound. I got to know my best friend better since college, I cast away my shell and became more outgoing, I’ve been in many organizations, met a slew of different and inspiring people, got a wonderful job there, and realized my passions. What’s not to love?

Image from knows-flower

And many more to come…

Writing this list had me smiling all over. It’s a very nice reminder in how much control I have over the direction in my life. I hope it inspired you to think of all the good decisions you feel you’ve made. Whatever they may be, I’m sure they’re quite the accomplishments, so give yourself some applause!

What are some of  the best decisions you’ve ever made?  Were they also your hardest?