Which path will you take...?

Let's consider a scenario. You're running full pelt, chasing your dreams, aspiring to be something, and you hit a fork in the road. Which way do you go? Taking the left route looks good enough - through green pastures, past crystal rivers and through quaint villages. The right route looks a little devious - bare trees shroud over the guided route, the sky looms overhead with stormy clouds threatening rain and a chill wind pricks the back of your neck. Gut instinct will push you towards the safer route, wouldn’t it? You'd be lying if you said no... What happens if you decide to stand up to those instincts and with a leap of confidence take the other route…?

Whilst this route may seem a little scary at first it, more often than not, works out for the best. Looks can be deceiving you see – you take what may seem like the easiest path and gain what? An easy ride? Life was never made to be easy; life throws obstacles at you in the most awkward of places and we need to be prepared to take them on. We need to keep our heads high and accept that choosing the easy path is merely an easy way out. 

I'm doing that just now. I have job applications to do, left right and center. I have no job and no money so you'd think that this would be enough drive to apply. I can see jobs related to my degree, e.g. one up in Carnforth – that would be perfect (I'd commute, as far as it is, as long as I was in the upper band wage, yet having just cracked open a bottle of Leffe Nectar (delicious, by the way) all I want to do is blog or go through photos or do anything but the application. Procrastination. I used to do this during my degree. I worked my arse off to get both a First Class Honours and Distinction and I've not used the degree at all. Not one bit. It just sits there making my CV look amazing. I keep saying, I'll do it tomorrow, the deadline isn't for a while, I don't want to get bogged down in an application for a job I probably won't get (pessimism, you aren't wanted so please leave). Whilst today won't be the most productive day of 2015, I'm planning on nabbing a painkiller for my back, running myself a bath, and soaking all of my worries away for a good hour of bubbly and candle-filled goodness; escapism at its best right? 

When it comes to success, I am a fighter. It doesn't seem like it at the moment but I'm taking the ostrich approach. I just hate giving in even though I find myself doing it more often than not. I have big dreams, big ambitions to be something and yet I tend to crumble at the first hurdle thrown my way. It is a little difficult to find that inner-strength and, as such, choosing the easier path seems perfect; it’s a complete walk in the park. The short-term ‘sticking your head in the sand’ route seems all fair and well but it will never sold a long-term issue. It’s avoidance. You’ll have to face it one day, and that’s why sometimes picking the harder path leads you to great things. Yes, you may be out of your comfort zone but, and this may just be me here, the rush you get from being in some new environment, some new situation, it drives the confidence that is just bursting to get out. You’ll surprise yourself, I promise you that. 

Whatever you do, wherever your life journey takes you, whenever it crops up, if you come to one of life’s crossroads or forks, just think about the outcome of your choice and what you might gain from it. Just remember that a little challenge isn’t necessarily a bad thing…

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