A new product recently hit the market—a tasty food supplement promising weight loss. It was quite expensive, and I was tempted to buy it. But I hesitated. What if I didn’t like the taste? I didn’t want to waste my money on something I wouldn’t enjoy or use.

A few days later, while shopping for my monthly groceries, I noticed a counter offering free samples of that very product. I rushed over and grabbed one with excitement. At home, I eagerly opened the packet and tasted it—only to find it bland and far from what the advertisements promised. I was relieved I hadn’t purchased it impulsively. That free sample saved me from making a costly mistake.

In our lives, we face countless important decisions. Should I pursue this career? Should I marry this person? Should I relocate? Should I start this business? Sometimes, our choices become blessings. Other times, they become burdens we have to carry and overcome.

I’ve made many such choices—some wise, some not so much. But one thing I’ve learned: I don’t make impulsive decisions. I weigh my options, think things through. Have all my choices worked out? Absolutely not. But I own them. I face the outcomes, because I chose them. I don’t blame others or dwell in regret. That ownership gives me the strength to navigate whatever comes my way.

Even after deep thought and careful planning, some of our choices may still turn out wrong. And that’s okay. We don’t always get a chance to test things before committing.  So, if a choice doesn’t work out, don’t be hard on yourself. Own it, learn from it, and keep moving forward—because life doesn’t offer free samples. 

Can you think of a time you made the best decision you could, and it still didn’t go as planned? How did you handle it?