Embracing Risk: The Dilemma of Daring or Regretting

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Daring or Regretting
3. “Navigating Life’s Crossroads: The Art of Making Difficult Decisions”
4. Challenges and Choices: Navigating Disruptive Decisions in Life
5. Managing Risk and Uncertainty: the Decision Process
6. The Art of Decision-Making: Embracing Risk, Regret, and Personal Growth
7. From Language Barriers to Academic Triumph: Embracing Challenges in Pursuit of Education
8. Building Dreams from the Ground Up: Taking Construction Challenges and Embracing Retirement Transitions
9. From Work to Play: Embracing the Joys and Challenges of Grandparenthood in California
10. Journeying Beyond Boundaries: Exploring Metaphysics and Unveiling the Nature of Existence
11. Conclusion
12. Observation

Introduction

Prepare to embark on a journey filled with profound reflections, captivating stories, and philosophical musings. In this personal essay, we delve into the realm of risk-taking and its pivotal role in shaping our lives. Brace yourself for a thought-provoking exploration of daring choices, regret, and the profound impact they can have.

Through the remarkable storytelling prowess of author Leopoldo Gomez-Diaz, we are transported to pivotal moments in his life where audacity and courage prevailed. From navigating language barriers while pursuing a Master’s degree in a foreign land to building a home against all odds, and even venturing into the enigmatic realm of metaphysics, Gomez-Diaz’s experiences become a tapestry of inspiration.

So dear readers, set aside a few minutes to enjoy this writing and prepare to challenge your perceptions, embrace the unknown, and discover the art of living boldly. Adventure awaits!

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Daring or Regretting

By – Leopoldo Gomez-Diaz, Retired Engineer, The Mexican Petroleum Institute

Have you ever needed to dare to make a disruptive decision in your life? And how much have you regretted when you did not dare to face it?

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“Navigating Life’s Crossroads: The Art of Making Difficult Decisions”

Difficult decisions require not only some analytical abilities, but more importantly, different personal skills to maintain a calm attitude in such a way that you had better listen to your emotions and feelings, and what your heart, intuition, and mind advise you about the best route to follow.

Read another story by Leopoldo, “I experienced real situations as if I were in a movie or a “real-life cases” documental” at !https://journals-times.com/2022/07/21/i-experienced-real-situations-as-if-i-were-in-a-movie-or-a-real-life-cases-documental/

There are different opportunities or specific circumstances in life when decisions might not be easy or not clear enough to make because there is no certain output, but only some successes likelihood, and we must dare to decide whether to cross or not the river waters.

It could be a decision something challenging or disrupting in your life, but if you don’t dare, you might regret it. Just consider that some opportunities might show up only once in a lifetime. So, you must decide whether to jump or not on the train.

Challenges and Choices: Navigating Disruptive Decisions in Life

Making disruptive decisions is not an easy task, for example, facing conflictive neighborhoods with plenty of rascals, leaving your parent’s house, having a same-sex love relationship, acquiring a house with a mortgage loan, starting to build a house without sufficient financial resources, moving to another country to study or live, applying for retirement, getting married or divorced, having a baby, asking for adoption, emigrating without documents, practicing or not a religion, having a different thought system, opening your mind to new beliefs, and so on.

Managing Risk and Uncertainty: the Decision Process

The decision process involves some risks to do the right decision or the wrong one, each of them with their consequences. In this process, you might be vulnerable to specific situations, or feel fear, anger, or insecurity.

Maybe, you might find it hard to get the goal, make mistakes, disagree with opinions, or see no light at the end of the tunnel, but in any case, you might have the option to follow or not, just be cool before making your decision, reconsider, analyze your mistakes, take advantage of your learned lessons, try it again and again, don’t give up at the first setback, fight, be brave and try to continue.

The Art of Decision-Making: Embracing Risk, Regret, and Personal Growth

In every situation, you have the decision to dare or not to do something. For each one, you also have two possible exits, choosing the “right” or “wrong” decision. This is the risk, take it or leave it.

The question is, what happens if you accept the wrong option or reject the right one?

Would you regret it?

If the answer is positive, how much do you regret it?

On the other hand, if you have decided not to dare with the wrong option or to accept the right one, would you feel lucky, happy, or comfortable?

This decision-making process had better be followed with your emotions, and feelings, paying attention to your heart, intuition, and your inner mind. This is more an “art than a process”, and it should be done not only with determination but with honesty, trying to get inner peace, and being authentic and empathic with yourself. This way you won’t regret losing attractive opportunities that could be present just once in a lifetime.

Do you get on the train or not? Read more on the art of decision-making at https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/01/21/the-art-of-decision-making

From Language Barriers to Academic Triumph: Embracing Challenges in Pursuit of Education

I have faced some hard situations in my life, and in most of them, fortunately, I have dared to take risks.

For example, when I went to study for a Master’s degree in Operational Research at Cambridge University in 1979-1980 following my wife who studied a Ph.D. in Physics. When I went there, my understanding of the English language was so limited.

I could read it, but it was difficult for me to understand people’s talks, then, it was very complicated for me to take classes in English, I must have spent many hours not only studying books to understand the class topics but also complaining and cursing, and then, trying to be in peace again. But I dared and I got the degree.

Having our first son in a foreign country, the UK, with different culture and language, when we were 26, was a big decision to dare, but we must have been determined and faced the situation.

I remember our conversations when we found out that my wife was pregnant, what should we do, how to handle the situation, and how to proceed to finish our studies? It was not easy at the beginning, and the following two years were more difficult because we had no house.

Building Dreams from the Ground Up: Taking Construction Challenges and Embracing Retirement Transitions

I built our house during 1980-1983. When we returned from England in October 1980, we hadn’t any house to live in.

First, we rented, but we decided that it was not worth it for us in the medium and long run; therefore, we decided that the best solution was to build our house in Mexico City. The only problem was that I had not enough money or a father to support us, but I had my job. I should have had enough money before started, and ought to have known some valuable managing human building resources better.  But anyway, I dared to start, I had no other better option.

By the time my first son was 3, I had been building about one-third part of the house. I learned a lot, and after some months, I managed as an engineer, to lead the work without an architect, this way, I saved some money. By 1983, I had been learning a lot of building techniques and some managing human building resources too.

At that time, I had finished just the most basic requirements to be able to use the house, but it was enough for us, and I shouldn’t have paid rent anymore.

Building the house took me two and a half years, it was hard working in the mornings and teaching in the afternoons. I worked hard, one day I collapsed three times, once on the bus, and then another two in the streets on my way home, but I did it. Having a house was not only an economic relief but an important factor of emotional stability for me, since then, I have felt secure, and relaxed.

More recently, in January 2016, I requested my retirement, after 40 years working for the Mexican Petroleum Institute. It was a difficult decision to make because I was happy and immersed in my work, but our eldest son had invited us several years before, and he insisted when his daughter was born, and the other two boys were growing every day.

So, I dared to ask for my retirement, it was not an easy topic, because I must have changed my way of living in a different country, but I did it.

From Work to Play: Embracing the Joys and Challenges of Grandparenthood in California

I agree to live in California and help with the three grandchildren. It has been really challenging and somewhat exhausting for seasons, but very comforting to share, live and learn from the children. Once, I went to play soccer and I took the two children with me. I played an entire game, and when I was done, my oldest grandson asked me, are you done yet? Read Soccer Game, Much More Than a Sport – A Memoir by Leopoldo Gomez-Diaz at https://journals-times.com/2022/08/11/it-was-a-soccer-game-that-taught-me-many-valuable-life-lessons/

He said, “I thought you were just warming up”.

Their frequency is much higher than mine. Sometimes after dinner, they would ask to play soccer, they just didn’t get tired or realized their energy was not the same as mine. I did get tired! In contrast, recently, the boys have asked me to drive, each of them to their activities, to the soccer training sessions, to the mall, friend’s house or to see his girlfriend. Time goes by so fast.

With my granddaughter things were and are different, she is the youngest in the family and she prefers to play board games, do a bit of gardening, plays with her dog, paint, and learn to cook.

She is very good with numbers and playing dominoes, she has bitten me several times. In the end, the important thing is that I decided to dare to ask for my retirement to board the train, trying to be as active as I can, doing activities with the grandkids, and even though it’s exhausting, it keeps me fit, and busy and living some things like a kid.

I remember the old days when I worked, in my shirt and pants bags I usually had a pencil, a USB, and my work ID, sometime later, I had toys, bottles, and diapers. Recently, I had dog food and plastic bags for its shit. These were some changes in my life!

Journeying Beyond Boundaries: Exploring Metaphysics and Unveiling the Nature of Existence

A few years ago, I started to study Metaphysics, breaking all my previous paradigms. I have dared to go through deeper issues, beyond known knowledge, beyond classical theories, towards the unknown, trying to answer the most basic questions:

who am I?

What is life, what is death?

Where will I go when I die?

How many lives have I had? Is this a real universe?

If the 5 senses of the human being can only perceive much less than 1% of the frequency range of the entire spectrum, what else is there? How come can I be sure about the world I perceived with my “5 limited senses” is real?

Metaphysics is a very different way of thinking, not as a person, but as a mind. I have had to search within my thoughts, memories, and ideas to find some answers. I have had to analyze these phenomena trying to be “in the shoes of the Mind” and not in those of the personage that I believe I am.

I have dared to doubt what is established and be determined and disciplined to move through a different paradigm. The inner trip to yourself, perhaps is one of the riskiest ones not only because is not usual to go inside but because you might find your real identity.

Just like in Plato’s cave paradox when the man discovered that only he has seen shadows in a fictitious projection, as in a movie or a dream. The issue was to dare to explore and be more conscious about my inner being to be at peace.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I could say that it has been important and useful to dare to decide to take the actions I need to be at peace with myself. It is important to identify the issues that matter most and decide how to work with them. I am convinced that “daring” has not had widespread use in our society, rather it has been limited, and by a few.

I prefer daring to face the main issues, the ones that really matter. Daring could perhaps be considered an “art” because you must proceed intelligently, using your instincts and skills, analyze possible results before taking unnecessary risks, keep a cool head, be brave, with courage and determination to face important decisions, and have a lot of patience.

You must pay attention to the emotions, feelings of your heart, intuition, and your inner being, which is the true decision-maker.

I have rarely regretted it, but what I have regretted the most has been when I did not dare.

And you, what do you prefer to dare or regret? That is the dilemma.

Observation

Daring to make disruptive decisions is an essential aspect of leading a fulfilling life. It requires intelligence, instincts, and the ability to analyze potential outcomes before taking calculated risks. By heeding our emotions, intuitions, and inner selves—the true decision-makers—we can embark on transformative journeys and seize unique opportunities.

While regrets may occasionally surface, the true remorse lies in not daring at all. So, when faced with pivotal choices, let us be brave, determined, and patient. By daring to take action, we open ourselves up to a world of possibilities and find ourselves on the path to self-discovery and personal growth.

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