What Do I Want...

"A woman has got to be able to say, and not feel guilty, 'Who am I, and what do I want out of life?' " - Betty Friedan, writer and co-founder of the National Organization for Women

Man or woman, student or retiree, maintenance worker or CEO - I believe that everyone has got to be able to ask these questions of themselves. There is a joy that comes from the journey when we are pursuing our dreams.

I will never forget the story of how one of my friends handled pursuing her dream of owning her own restaurant. She went through years of training and working for other people. She moved up in the ranks and gathered loads of experience while working long hours and nearly every day of the week for more than three years.

When she finally had enough money to start out on her own, she began building her business by finding the perfect location, hiring the right people, and stocking her kitchen with the best of everything. I'll never forget the day I saw her approximately 6 months after she opened her restaurant. I asked her how everything was going and she said that although business was good, she was starting to realize that maybe owning her own restaurant wasn't really what she wanted out of life after all!

Needless to say, I was shocked. She had worked so hard for so long and this project was all she had talked about for years. But, after talking with her some more, I began to realize what she was going through. She had no idea what it would be like until she actually had to walk through each day as a business owner. The same is true for anyone in pursuit of their dream. Until we actually live it, we probably won't be able to predict how the experience will play out.

I have learned to walk towards my dreams but remain open to moving in a different direction if I find myself disenchanted in some way. I have learned that I always have choices in life and that I won't be condemned if I change my mind. Thank you God for my ability to make choices today. Having the opportunity to change my mind if I so choose is a blessing and I am grateful.