Thriving Scholar — Executive Coaching & Leadership
The Pharmacy Shift That Taught Me the Power of Choice
Jaineel Mistry
In my mid-to-late twenties, I worked as a freelance pharmacist on weekends for extra income. At a time when I felt unfulfilled and lost in my consulting job, these shifts outside London became an escape.
One Saturday close to Christmas, a young woman dropped by to deliver presents. She was also a freelance pharmacist at the same store. I knew of her but had never met her.
As the team introduced us, I said “hey” and smiled, pretending not to care. But deep down, I found her attractive.
The pharmacy staff, who were like motherly figures to me at the pharmacy had already begun plotting. They continued to tell me how we would make such a great couple. At this point, I was single, dating, but quietly looking for something more meaningful.
But my mind had already decided it wouldn’t work. I had reasons that sounded sensible and convincing. My mind shut it down before anything could even begin.
n the weeks that followed, I remained flaky. I avoided making any real move, telling myself it would fade away. But deep within me, I knew there was something there.
One Saturday, as I was stocking shelves, one of the women and I were talking about the situation. I was explaining my reasons for not approaching her, speaking from hesitation and uncertainty.
As she was kneeling on the floor stocking shelves, she suddenly stopped. She put down the boxes of Co-Codamol, turned to her left, and looked directly at me.
Her gaze was intense and serious, as though she was about to say something that truly mattered. The words she spoke have stayed with me ever since.
“Jaineel, you know, time does not wait for anyone.”
The words landed exactly where they needed to. I felt them in my chest.
She reminded me of how ruthless time is. The clock continues regardless of hesitation, regardless of how stuck we are in our own heads. Life moves forward, and unless we consciously choose to move with it, it passes us by.
Life is full of choices.
Every moment, whether we realise it or not, we are choosing.
There is no neutral. Not choosing is still a choice. Choosing to avoid, delay, or ignore is still choosing.
The problem is not that we don’t have choices. The problem is that we are often so sped up in our own minds that we don’t see them.
To recognise that we always have a choice requires awareness in the moment. The more you slow down, the more you create space within yourself, the easier it becomes to see the moment where a choice exists.
In aviation, there’s a principle called the 1-in-60 rule that states for every 1 degree a plane is off course, it will miss its target by 1 mile for every 60 miles traveled. If a plane takes off from Los Angeles heading to Tokyo (roughly 5,500 miles), being just 1 degree off course means it would miss Tokyo by about 92 miles.
Pilots don’t just correct once. They’re constantly adjusting for wind, weather, and shifting conditions throughout the flight. Your life works the same way.
You’re navigating distractions, challenges, old patterns pulling you off track. The key isn’t one perfect decision. It’s noticing when you’ve drifted, when you’re choosing comfort over truth, avoiding instead of leaning in, and making small corrections back toward what feels aligned. Course correction isn’t failure. It’s how you arrive where you’re meant to go.
In the weeks and months that followed, I began to get to know this woman more. The resistance didn’t disappear overnight. My mind continued to search for reasons not to lean in, not to trust what I deeply felt.
As I gave it time and space, the inner nudges became clearer. A simple but powerful sense of “this feels right.” A grounded feeling of alignment, ease, and a knowing that my mind couldn’t explain.
What I didn’t realise at the time was that this wasn’t one big courageous decision. It was a series of small, aligned choices. Choosing to stay present instead of pulling away. Choosing to listen to what felt true rather than what felt safe.
None of these moments felt dramatic. But each one was an act of courage. And over time, those small choices compounded into something much bigger than I could have imagined.
Today, Pri and I are happily married, living in our home with our daughter and our dog. I often reflect on where my life might have gone had I allowed my mind to talk me out of what I deeply felt was right.
When it comes down to it, there is only one choice we are ever making in any moment: love or fear?
When we choose love, it may not be comfortable, but it often feels like relief. It feels expansive and alive.
Choosing fear keeps us in a contracted state.
None of these choices feel dramatic on their own. But over months and years, they quietly shape your energy, your mindset, and the life you experience.
Not every choice will be conscious, that’s part of being human. What matters is recovery i.e. the willingness to notice when you’re slightly off course and make a small correction back toward what feels true.
When you truly see that you are always choosing: what meaning you give to situations, thoughts and stories you focus on, your habits and the words you speak…you start becoming a deliberate creator of your life vs an unconscious reactor.
Reflection:
Think about a choice you’re avoiding right now and ask yourself, what would love do?Trust and act on that gut instinct.
P.S. This is a snapshot piece taken from my upcoming book Lead From Within that will be out later this year. I’m looking forward to sharing more about what the book is about over the coming months!
P.s. Here are 4 ways I can support you on your journey to Lead From Within:
1) BRAND NEW 2026 Program!! Join Living From Within 5 week Group Journey – a quiet and reflective space with no hype to help you navigate 2026 from an aligned, calm, and powerful place.
2) 📓 Journal with Jaineel 7 Day Experience for Free – 7 days, 10 minutes a day. One prompt.
3) 🧘 Download my free guided meditation – 20 minutes to calibrate your energy and shift your state. Remember: you don’t attract what you want, you attract who you are.
4) 📞 Let’s talk – If you’re ready to do this work 1:1 or in a group setting, book a call with me
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