In life, we are so preoccupied with choosing the right path. There seems to be so much pressure to choose “correctly” that it becomes overwhelming for many of us. Being so young, we all have some big decisions to face in the near future; whether to go to graduate school, buy a car, rent an apartment, move away or get married.

Of course these decisions are extremely important and merit a great deal of thought, but do we put too much weight on the ramifications of these decisions?

It is important to understand that although we face tough decisions, our choice at the end of the process is not as vital as we make it out to be. Yes, it is significant and determines the next step in your life, but it does not determine the rest of your life.

Making decisions is hard to do because there exists a certain amount of risk associated with each selection and once we recognize that, we become intimidated by declaring an answer.

We want to choose the best path, the one that is right for us, but what if there is no right path? What if there are just two paths that are both excellent options and you pick the one that you think is best for you at that time and that’s it? No looking back with regret or asking yourself years later “what if?” because whatever idea you conjure up of what could have been is a mere fantasy. You have no way of ever going back to find out how your life could have been.

This goes to show that life is a series of decisions that lead to more decisions. Another insightful thing to remember is to always be happy with your decision. Because in the end, whatever you picked really could have been the other and it would have been just as meaningful.

Many people like Jacob Bergman, a junior actuarial science and philosophy major, realize that feeling confident in your choice is best.

“Whatever decisions you make in life you have to face inescapable consequences, but your decision is never wrong,” Bergman said. “Your mindset in that moment of time has led you down the path of your initial decision and you must live with your choice. It is impossible to go back.”

Bergman then went on to emphasize that every choice is the right choice because of the simple fact that you picked it. All options could have been great opportunities, but, as Bergman says, “Life brought you to this point in order to make this decision.” It’s right because everything before this point in time led you to pick whichever option you decide upon.

Feeling confident in your convictions is key in living a happy life, void of regret and contemplation. It may be hard for us to fathom it now, but as we proceed towards our goals we must see that the big decisions we make, no matter what they be, will turn out alright.

There’s a popular saying from John Lennon that adds comfort to those situations we might feel uncertain about, it follows, “Everything will be okay in the end. If it is not okay, then it is not the end.”

Provided that you feel the option you chose might have been a mistake, there is no need to worry. Things will work out in the end, just don’t over think them.

As you face life and confront choices, just keep in mind that it is not about which path you take, it is about being strong enough to make the decision to choose and progress with certitude.

Do not psych yourself out by trying to guess the right path to follow, but instead pave your own path with conviction and contentment.