When The Ship Has Long Sailed...

 

WHEN THE SHIP HAS LONG SAILED.  Yes, indeed, do we remember how many opportunities we missed in our life?  Seriously, I never bothered to keep that score in my journal BUT I recall that I missed a couple of opportunities I deem as materially significant and/or impactful.  LIKE that academic scholarship I missed.  LIKE that career opportunity I missed [had I continued my law studies].  LIKE if I didn't resign from my previous organization as that would have positioned me next in the totem pole.  LIKE WHEN I quit the very first pilot Nihonggo class [which could have positioned me well enough for career advancements in a Japanese-centric organization.  Surely, you have your share of SHIPS THAT HAVE LONG SAILED📗📙📘

It's human nature to regret [and even blame our own selves] WHEN we missed an opportunity that would have led you to reap this fruit OR that path towards your goal.  BUT WHAT is often overlooked here is that, sometimes, missed opportunities often end up being the 'course corrections' we need in our lives.  True, in those MISSED OPPORTUNITIES, we are led into serious disappointments, and even rejections, WHETHER those are the top schools in your country OR a 'dream job' WHICH you have literally dreamt and hoped for the longest time.  BUT after having a MISSED OPPORTUNITY, it could turn out to be the best thing that could have happened💚💛💜

Let's listen to WHAT psychologists counsel us, WHICH is, for us to actively process our feelings as the crucial first step for us to reframe our negative feelings into positive action WHEN things DON'T work out the way we'd initially hoped for.  I recall one of my first MISSED OPPORTUNITIES early on, I struggled BUT eventually realized that in the process of NOT getting WHAT I wanted, I had that deep self-reflection about WHAT actually motivated me and WHAT I wanted to do with the rest of my life.  Even relationships, WHICH are sensitive topics to cover, WHEN it leads to a breakup, many researches showed statistical data that such breakups did spark renewed love and even success in one's career.  HOW often do we hear that one MISSED OPPORTUNITY led you to a much better life???

Once I stumbled across this philosophical statement, that is, 'YOUR DESTINY IS TIED TO YOUR INTUITION'.  And on one occasion, someone confided to me that he ignored his intuition and in his post mortem, he learned from that painful experience that bad things result WHEN we would tend to push past our better judgment in pursuit of a goal.  Sometimes, a MISSED OPPORTUNITY becomes a blessing in disguise.  LIKE you joined a new organization BUT after a month OR two, you quit because you thought that the company's values are NOT aligned to you!!!

Our takeaway:  I heard this sage advice a zillion times and allow me to piggy-back on it.  That WHEN you stumble with those MISSED OPPORTUNITIES, two important things to remember.  Firstly, avoid dwelling on the past and instead accept that you cannot change WHAT has already happened.  And instead, embrace the 'NOW' because the present is all you truly have, so make the most of it.  Obviously, we got to learn from the past and alongside it, motivate yourself to gain a new perspective, recognizing whatever past mistakes as they become the very core of your valuable lessons in life.  YES dude, WHEN THE SHIP HAS LONG SAILED, that's NOT the end of the world.  For all you know, that MISSED OPPORTUNITY is, after all, a blessing in disguise, that 'manna from heaven'😁😁😁