Dear Tamara:I have been thinking about going back to school for a couple of years now. But it seems like every time I get serious about it, something happens, or something comes up that prevents me from going.
I just got accepted into a program and am not sure if I am going to be able to actually go. I just started a new job and would now have to go to school in the evenings. That means finding a sitter for my two sons.
Many of my friends have gone back to school and some have already completed their programs, but I’m beginning to feel like there is never going to be a right time for me to finish school and get my degree.
– Right Time
Dear Right Time:
I have been where you are and I spent four years “talking” about going back to school. Seriously, I had a friend complete her bachelor’s and master’s degrees while I was still just “thinking about it and thinking of all the obstacles in my way! As motivated as you are coming up with barriers and reasons why now is not the right time, you need to be just as motivated to find some solutions to your challenges.
There really is no such thing as the “right time.” If you are waiting for perfect timing to start living your dreams and accomplishing your goals, you will be waiting FOREVER.
Life is full of twists and turns and there never seems to be a perfect time to do anything. Stop using “perfect timing” as an excuse as to why you cannot accomplish your goals.
Now I am not saying jump headfirst into situations without proper planning and being prepared. But I am saying that no matter what your current situation, you can still move toward living your dreams.
If God has given you vision and a plan for your life, He has also equipped you with the talent and resources needed to fulfill that plan, even if the plan takes a detour or somehow strays off course. In other words, whether you go back to school today or two years from now, there are sure to be challenges.
Author of the upcoming book Been There Done That: And Lived to Tell About It, Tamara R. Allen is Your Advice Guru giving REAL advice from REAL experience. Email your questions to asktamara@tamararallen.com. You can follow Tamara on twitter @tamararallen or check out her daily column and archives at www.tamararallen.com.
This was printed in the April 8, 2012 – April 21, 2012 Edition
