What if you decided not to talk to that person today? What if you decided to not go to somewhere that day, and what if you did? And, what if you decided not to go to the school you go too?
Life is filled with what ifs. One different decision than the one you made in that moment could have the greatest impact on your life. I constantly wonder how my life would be different if I didn't act how I do today, or if I didn't go to the University of Idaho. How different of a person would I be if I wasn't surrounded by all these people?
For me, my experience would not even be close to the same. I don't know if I would have found the same fraternity at another school or the same weird group of friends. I would not have the amazing relationships I have with people if I chose a different path. Even a small event such as going ice skating, deciding to say hello, or what classes I took have changed my life. But I didn't even realize how those small decision impacted my life until after they happened.
When looking at the past it may be easier to think about what could have happened in the present because you can predict different outcomes easier. But, comparing saying "what if" in the moment and deciding how it will impact your future, that's when you have no idea what can happen. Playing the game of "What If?" and deciding what may happen if you do or don't do something can be terrifying. Like the past, thinking about if you should do something you're scared of, will have an impact whether it is immediate or not. But most of the time doing what you're scared of is good.
Risking your comfort zone can make a tremendous difference. Who knows what may happen if you say yes, it could be the best decision of your life.
That's usually what happens with people. When your decision of "yes" or "no" ends up being a good thing, it helps determine how often people will say yes to an iffy situation.
In my life, saying yes more often than not turned a "what if" into a "thank God" I made that decision. Many people say that they'd rather have regrets than wondering what would have happened. This is a very cheesy thing for people to say, but it's also true. One of the worst feelings is thinking to yourself, "what would have happened if I did it differently?".
If I decided to say no to certain things in my life I don't think I would be who I am today or act the way I do. So take that "what if?" question and ponder about all the things that would have happened if you made a different decision, and let that determine your decision making now.