When I was living in Naples, Florida, I decided to get my real estate license to bridge my background in architecture with my love for people and the intimate matchmaking of space.

Real estate ended up being one of the most expansive experiences, but not by any typical reasons. I made a plethora of connections that completely redirected my life path. One of those connections, was Matt. 

I met Matt in real estate school. He sat in the front row, tall with thick graying hair and big round glasses, the type that magnify your eyeballs into mini globes. Matt was in his 70s and on a mission to make everyone feel like a million bucks. I liked Matt immediately.

Matt was the reason that I got connected with a new builder in town, and hired as the lead interior designer for two large homes. He was someone that I felt comfortable speaking with, expressing both my excitements and insecurities. At the first construction meeting, I sat on this very cusp of enthusiasm and horror.

That's when Matt told me, “Jill, there are no wrong turns.”

Matt held every ounce of faith in me. In fact, he was overflowing with it.

“If you are driving down the highway and you miss your exit, you might pull off the next one, only to get into a car accident and bump into the love of your life."

What appears to be a big mistake might be the biggest break of our life.

His simple words changed my life. Could it be that easy? 

I quickly realized that so much energy is wasted contemplating if we made the right decision. Should I have said that? Should I have gone to the event? I wish I reached out to XYZ.  The list goes on and on. 

But what if there are no bad decisions? What if everything, seemingly good or bad, is perfectly intended to launch us forward in life? What if it's all divine?

Something about Matt’s words hit a deep, true chord within me, and from that moment forward, I trusted in every single "mistake" that I made.

It was one of the last seeds of advice that I received before packing my car and traveling the country, and an essential ingredient in maintaining trust, confidence, and forward motion, even as I "stumbled" along my journey.

To this day, I do not look back. I don't regret. I never question. 

We are perfectly imperfect, and "mistakes" are actually essential to a harmonious life. Mistakes give yield to contrast, depth, and wisdom.

I was sharing this very perspective with a friend, as he serviced my bike that I left outside and allowed to rust. I told him that I wished I kept it inside. But how ironic? I quickly corrected myself. If I kept it inside, he wouldn't have come over. We wouldn't have had a vulnerable and inspiring conversation. I wouldn't have learned about bike mechanics and all of the other topics we touched. And of course, I wouldn't have learned the lesson to reprioritize care and respect for my bike.

No wrong turns.

Still, we will have seemingly bad days, weeks, months, and perhaps even years. We will stumble. We will fall. We will inevitably be hard on ourselves and wish we did different, more, and better.

But we will also remind ourselves that there are no wrong turns. We will choose this stance, we will subscribe to this, because why not dissipate all fear, anxiety, or stress, and immediately grant ourselves the freedom to move forward?

We will choose, and we will know, the freedom is ours.