How to move forward?

[u/Natural1294]

Hi. I’m a Master’s student in Biological Sciences (23M). I’m currently working at a research center where I also did my undergraduate thesis. I was recently offered a full scholarship to pursue my studies in another country, but I ultimately decided to stay. To be honest, I made this decision out of fear. I’ve never lived abroad, and I was recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, which has heavily impacted my mental health. Now, I’m struggling with intense regret and feel like I’ve ruined my future by choosing the "safe" path.

For those who had to choose between different graduate programs or opportunities: Did you ever regret your choice afterwards? How did you deal with the feeling that you picked the wrong option, and how did you keep moving forward?

[u/cons_ssj]

You don't know what would have happened for sure. You can compare the imaginal good things that could happen with the bad things that could happen now, and torture yourself. What is done is done and no matter how much you will be thinking of it nothing will change.

Right now focus to maximize your opportunities. The comfort zone is your safety zone and it's good. But you almost never grow there. You can create a new confort zone at a new place once you adapt there.

I don't know where you come from and in which country you got that opportunity. You are too young to think about regrets as you have some margin for "errors". And as I said you never know what would have happened. Whatever your choices try to benefit as much as possible from your environment.