Do you ever just wonder about the little things... but also the big events or decisions in your life that got you here; mentally and physically - to this exact moment. What if you had experienced or done some of these situations differently in your past? Where would you be now - right now - and what would you be doing instead of reading this article?

Questions such as these, find amusement in running through my mind daily. How they do not tire out, I’ll never know. Specifically, some types of questions that have become regulars in my brain are ones that I know others must think about too.

They go a little something like this:

• What if this hadn’t happened…
• What if it had gone more like this…
• What if I had chosen this over this…
• What if _____ was still alive…
• What if I was different…
• What if my parents had never even met…
• What if I was more _____...
• What if this happens in my future…

With so much uncertainty in our lives, we can often find ourselves caught up in a whirlwind of these questions. Whether it is 10 seconds from now or 10 years from now, we do not know what the future has in store for us, and we cannot rewrite the past. This realization remains an uneasy feeling for some, and for others, the unknown comes as an exciting waiting or guessing game.

I, personally, am a huge believer in the ideology of everything happens for a reason. Although hard to decipher the reasoning in certain situations, such as deaths or tragedies, I truly believe that for some reason, somewhere, this has been mapped out for us and this is what was meant to happen.

Now, whatever this may be, it could come with hardships or seem unfair at the time, but it may also lead you to new experiences or new people. Hopefully, it also will teach you something about yourself or perhaps even about others.

The ideology of everything happening for a reason, really stems from the notion of growth throughout our lives. If you are stuck in the past and fixed on all of these “what ifs,” you will hinder your own flourishment as an individual. Whereas if you have a mindset of everything happening for a reason, you will learn to acknowledge and accept occurrences in your life – big or small, troublesome or not – and grow from them.

Questioning parts of your life is not a bad thing to do; it is good to keep yourself in check. But do so in a sense of reflection, not in a sense that will leave you burdened. “What ifs” pop up subconsciously; so let them in, but determining how or if you will let them go is a very important aspect when it comes to living a happier life.

“Someday, everything will make perfect sense. So for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, embrace the uncertainty, and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.” – Unknown