The Best Life Advice People Ever Received

24.

“I’m thankful for the mentors I have in my life, but in particular, one of the conversations I’ve been reminded of recently was when one of them once reframed decision-making for me as: ‘which choice lets you become more of yourself?’ This really stuck with me because I used to make decisions by asking which option was safer, made more money, disappointed fewer people, or looked better on paper.”

“Now, when I’m genuinely torn, I ask something slightly different: ‘Which choice makes me more curious? More honest? More alive? Which one gives me room to use more of who I am rather than constantly shrinking parts of myself to make the situation work?

“It doesn’t mean ‘always choose whatever feels good.’ Sometimes becoming more yourself requires doing something difficult, disciplined, or terrifying. And obviously, practical things like money/responsibilities still matter. But I’ve found it especially useful when BOTH choices are reasonable, and I’m stuck overthinking which one is ‘correct.’

Maybe it is not which life to choose, but which life I recognize myself more in, and sigh, I wish I’d learned that much earlier, because I would’ve spent far less time building versions of my life that looked right from the outside but required me to disappear inside them.”

—No-Mud-7597