Pick Your Poison.
Autumn wins the silver medal for the most beautiful time of the year, with gold reserved for winter. While January is meant to signal the beginning of the year, I don’t know—I find August through October to feel more like a reset. Somewhere between these months, people solidify where they’ll live, what they’ll pursue in their careers, and who they’ll spend the holidays with. I particularly enjoy this period because there is so much excitement and anticipation to begin whatever it is that sparks someone's passion. In my friendships and relationships, no two people strive for the same thing. Some want to be creatives, while others aspire to be doctors, engineers, or even something reputable in finance. I appreciate this diversity because, in a way, it grounds my perspective. As the months pass and fall ends, the weather becomes harsher, routines grow mundane, and there inevitably comes a moment where you question whether or not you made the right choice. The more time that passes, the clearer it becomes to see a career for what it truly is. The flaws become magnified, and that initial excitement fades away. At this point, you either choose to accept the negatives or find yourself wishing you'd taken a different path, envying the one someone else chose. It begins to feel like the grass is greener on the other side. The absence of your challenges in another choice makes it seem easier or more desirable, even if it goes against everything you’ve ever loved or worked toward. Sometimes this is a wake-up call that you aren’t where you should be, but most of the time, it’s simply misguided envy. The harsh truth is that no matter how carefully you plan for perfection, every decision comes with its own set of challenges or downsides. No job, home, family, relationship, or friendship is ever truly perfect. To make informed decisions about your future, you can’t rely on the allure of glamour, but rather on a deep understanding of the imperfections. There is always a caveat behind every positive thing, otherwise anyone could do it. Even if I had the opportunity to switch places with my biggest admiration I couldn’t be them and neither could they be me. Our strength is defined by what we are willing to endure for our satisfaction. Happiness isn’t found in the absence of loss but in the perseverance to embrace and adapt to it. If you were to ask me, I’d say the grass is always green—you just have to learn to accept the challenges of keeping it that way. While I may not always be vocal about it, I’m content with my poison because I made that decision. I can only hope you embrace yours too.
- With Love, Fiza Usman
