Do what you need to do.

Back in graduate school, a book titled The Gift of Therapy was encouraged for us to read during our practicum class that gets us ready to be in the field of counseling. I don't know about my peers, but I didn't buy it. Nine years into my career, I bought the book a few days ago and find myself wishing that graduate student self would have read it. It's filled with all of these great hints and considerations that an emerging therapist might benefit from in sessions with clients, being present with them and helping them work through challenges. Hindsight is 20/20 though, and I wonder if I would carry the same appreciation that I do now, back then.

In my professional life, I'll admit that there are times when I have to bite my tongue from providing suggestions to clients that I think are best... or to not say "I told you so" when a plan didn't turn out the best. I try to be very aware of my interactions with clients, helping them to find the route that is best for them, developing plans for happiness, and being encouraging and reassuring when those plans are followed through. I know my job isn't to tell a client what they need to do, but to guide them in making decisions themselves.

In the same breath, though, I know that along the timeline of my life that other people have had those same thoughts about me.... knowing that I made choices because they made me happy, despite the feelings of others. I have made decisions that impacted my happiness immediately, but could have contributed to unhappiness down the road. I have had "Doh!" moments where I realized the errors of my ways, and times when I've been completely blind to seeing the consequences of my actions.

As a therapist, I try to pull back when it comes to decision making. There are times when I feel like a trainwreck, and times when I feel relatively put together. (My best friend will tell you that I'm my own therapist at times.) When it comes down to it, we need to do what makes us happy.... and do it. 

Not talk about it excessively.
Not waver 254 times.
We need to close our eyes, say a little prayer, and jump... jump into our life, waves and all.