My life up until now has been progressive in the sense that everything aligns along one single path. Go to school. Get A's. Become a doctor. Make your parents proud. Its pretty much the standard route for any kid with strict parents. Yet, often times, I have found myself wondering what would've happened if I had taken a different route? Chosen a different major or university? Traveled the country? The list is pretty endless, in all honesty.

Last semester, I took a philosophy course in which we discussed the act of free will and whether or not life is predetermined for you, etc. If anything, it was an eye-opener going into my senior year of college because I realized I have lived going forward without really considering what my choices were. It's not that I didn't know there were choices, I just didn't really think to make another decision. I have played by the books my entire life. Whatever my parents or anyone elder said, I did. I have been too scared to be adventurous. I have been too afraid to take chances, say yes to something else, or look for other options. I know I can't be the only one out there who feels this way.

In psychology, they say that people don't push themselves often because they're too afraid of the unpredictable. As someone who has kind of turned into an accidental control freak, I can admit that I am terrified of the unknown. Think about all the "what if"s. What if something goes wrong? What if I regret my choice? WHAT IF??

Unfortunately, those "what if"s don't go away. They will continue to magnify if you let them, and realizing that, going forward, I can't allow myself to be held back by my fear. It doesn't mean that I relinquish all control at once and go wild. It just means that I can be spontaneous. I can make other decisions. Say no, say yes, or don't say anything at all.

Life is about letting go and learning to adapt to whatever comes your way. We can't control everything, and if we are overruled by our fear, we may miss out on experiences and amazing memories along the way. So, step out of that little circle of comfort. Do something different, and maybe you'll make great memories.