The university application system in Ireland can be a stressful process for most eighteen-year-olds. This one of the big life choices that can shape the direction of the rest of our lives. How do we work out what we want!

Do we consider what we enjoy learning, what is expected by our parents, what is practical based on getting a job or do we follow what our peers are doing…

I recently found my CAO form and was really curious about the preferences I had made- top of the list was international business with languages, following this was: media studies, dance and performance, film studies, drama and theatre studies and so on.

For this application, your top one or two choices were the courses you highly considered as they were likely what you would get- I remember being told that the rest of the form you can fill in anything else as it was largely irrelevant.

I remember enjoying researching these options the most- they were the creative, “wouldn’t that be fun” choices I honestly felt were not available to me due to the “practicalities” I was educated in as a young student.

It is interesting to see that when less pressure was placed on the course choices further down the form they were in fact more aligned to my natural interests and aspirations. When we give ourselves the freedom to choose and drop away any fears of expectation or consequences, our choices become more authentic and honest to who we are.

I remember the huge pressure of this big decision and the crossed wires and confusion I felt trying to determine my wishes from those of my peers, parents, teachers and society norms. Thankfully my life is weaving in all of my true preferences and I gladly benefitted by all paths of experience to date!

But how often do we continue a path unquestioned?

We can always change our path, we just have to change our choices. 

When we give ourselves the freedom to choose and drop away any fears of expectation or consequences, our choices can be very different…

Whatever your age and background, every day is a new opportunity to make the choice that feels best for you… it can take some time to realize those decisions are yours alone, that it is importnat to choose what feels best for YOU?

 Life Choices: How to work out what you want!

1. Take 30 minutes (set your timer) to yourself everyday to free write, filing A4 pages with sporadic thoughts for 15 minutes.

2. After this mental clearing, comfortably sit in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed (tell others you are busy for this 30 minutes).

3. As you sit connect with your breath, tune into the texture and quality of your breath for 10 minutes.

4. Repeat within your mind the mantra “I am” or in sanskrit “So Ham” –  inhale breathe in So, exhale Ham.

5. Release the mantra when you feel guided to rest and enjoy the silence that follows.

This introductory practice will create space in the mind to allow natural intuitions and ideas to grow forth.

Listen to my guided meditation “Creating Space” to assist you in this exercise.

When you have more time follow it with creative expression activities such as the techniques practiced in the monthly Soul*Dance workshop and mentioned in related posts.