By Kayla Turbyfill, Career Ambassador & Intern, Career & Professional Development Center  

“Which path is right for me?” is a question I have struggled with most of my life – and while I still do, I have figured out how to come to peace with it.  I know there is no “right” or “wrong” answer, path, career, or anything else for me really. That peace is not always quiet, though. In fact, sometimes it feels like I am screaming to remind myself that everything will work out, there is no “right” path, and that I am creating a life full of opportunity. I feel restless and full of anxiety about the future at times, but there are days when I can sit with myself and be content knowing I have thought out my decisions and have found a good fit for myself. That fit may change, and I may find another path, but, for now, I am doing alright. I have had to learn to trust myself, and I learn a new way to trust myself every day.  

I started to trust that there was no right path for me when I began to put aside my ego and anxiety and listened to those around me, who first told me there is no right or wrong answer. “Just choose,” they would say, which was not super helpful at the time, but it was my first step toward trusting my decisions. I realized there was more to the advice there than, “Just choose”. It turned into, “Trust yourself. You know what feels good, what fits, and experimentation [and failure] is okay”. It’s all part of growing and finding yourself. Learning what you don’t want is just as valuable as learning what works or fits you at any stage in your life. It is an ongoing process. What fits today may not fit tomorrow, but that is another opportunity to trust yourself and find a way through the problem. You have the power. You have the knowledge and the self-assurance to do it. Trust me because it was one of the hardest lessons I have had to learn over and over again.  

So this is the advice I want to pass along to anyone who needs to hear it: you really do have the tools and answers within. It may be scary, and you may have to back track or experience your definition of “failure”, but remember every “failure” is a learning experience. It is all part of a journey in self-discovery and it will help you figure out who you are over time. However you show up and whoever you become, you are worthy; you are enough; you deserve to find a fit that works for you and to thrive. You can find that peace and trust in yourself and move through life powerfully. You’ve got this.