There are things we can learn from our childhood bedtime stories. Without knowing it, these stories are actually sometimes preparing us for life. We all may interpret things differently, but after reading Oh, The Places You’ll Go! as I prepared to start college, I found myself accepting as truth what it said on how to be successful in life. Later on, after graduating with an associate degree, I transferred to Brigham Young University - Idaho without being positive that I’d made the right decision. One day, during my 2nd week of classes, I passed a keychain in the campus store that said, “Oh! The Places You’ll Go! BYU-I.” It might seem silly, but for me, that was an answer to prayer. Never had I been more sure that I’d chosen the best path for my life when I chose to go to BYU-Idaho.

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"Oh, the places you'll go"
It’s a fact, no one can tell you who to be or what to do with your life. That choice will always be yours. Why? Well, because the mind is an amazing thing. You might not know right and wrong when you’re little, but once you grow up, you eventually learn how to figure out the difference. Not all choices are good and bad, though. Sometimes, it’s a matter of a good choice vs. the better choice or just two great choices with one being the right one for you. The trouble is figuring out what’s right, and that, along with the effort certain choices require, sometimes cause people to not choose, but instead just wait.

"The Waiting Place"
You don’t want to get stuck doing nothing at all. Waiting for your life to change and for a decision to be made without you having to do anything, well, just won’t happen. Today is the time of the ‘Millennials,’ but with all the advanced technology we have to make life easier, it’s just as easy to let the four letters L, A, Z, and Y control your life. Do NOT let the ‘Baby Boomers’ tell you that there isn’t much you contribute to society. Only you can choose to do nothing or prove them wrong.

"Today is your day"
Making the wrong decision too often becomes a fear that holds us back from choosing at all, and that means not achieving our goals. Luckily, there are often ways to know which choice is right, but the answer to prayers doesn’t always come until it’s more of a confirmation after making a decision, so do it! Decide what to do and do it! Taking a step in one direction and learning if it really is right is better than doing nothing at all, so today is the day. Don’t wait for tomorrow because procrastination will only grow stronger.

"All alone, whether you like it or not, alone will be something you'll be quite a lot."
It doesn’t feel fair and it’s not fun when you feel all alone, but life can’t always be perfect. Sometimes, you have to experience the sad in order for the happy to be special. Usually, choices are made when we are alone: when you take a test, you do it by yourself. When you’re interviewed for your dream job, you do it by yourself. Being brave during the “alone” time is what will set you up for success.

Like Dr. Seuss said in the book that taught me so much: "You'll move mountains." If you can make it through each obstacle that life throws at you, there isn’t anything you won’t be able to accomplish. It starts with the first step you take and the first choice you make. If you find yourself where you don’t want to be, at least you know what you don’t want so that it’s easier to realize what you do. In the end, it’s just as Dr. Seuss says, “And will you succeed? Yes, you will indeed. 98 3/4% guaranteed." Don’t let yourself wait and watch your life pass you by. Make a choice that feels right and your keychain will find you as you always remember, “You're off to great places, today is your day, your mountain is waiting, so get on your way."