The Courage to Choose Our Dreams

By Teresa Lucas /Translated by Jonathan Lott

There are terms in economics and finance that, although technical, hold profoundly human truths. One of them is opportunity cost. This concept refers to everything we give up doing, receiving, or enjoying when we make a certain decision. In other words, every time we choose one path, we automatically give up another. In my case, choosing to continue my professional training in another country was one of those decisions that transforms your life… but also one that requires you to leave a lot behind.

Today I live in Chía, Colombia. I’m here thanks to a scholarship I won that allowed me to continue my training as a communications strategist. You could say it was a golden opportunity, and it was. I was selected from among more than 4,000 applications; but, like everything in life, it didn’t come without sacrifices.

I left my country, my family, my friends, my routine, and a rising professional career. I put my time as a university professor on hold, a period filled with learning and incredible moments both inside and outside the classroom.

Although my decision was guided by the certainty that this academic process would open new doors for me, it wasn’t easy.

Adult life often presents itself as a constant balancing act. We balance personal desires, family responsibilities, professional goals, and even the fears that accompany us along the way. The curious thing is that, as women, we tend to postpone our dreams, thinking it’s not the right time, that there are other priorities, or that it’s already too late. But how much is a dream really worth?

Motivation

From a financial perspective, we learn to evaluate projects based on their costs, benefits, risks, and returns. This also helped me understand that my decision to come to Colombia wasn’t an emotional madness, but a strategic investment. Every sacrifice, whether it was a family reunion, a stable job, or a daily comfort, was part of the capital invested. The return wouldn’t be seen immediately, but I trusted it would come in the form of personal growth, an expansion of my network of contacts, new professional prospects, and a more complete version of myself.

The experience of studying abroad has been both enriching and challenging. Sometimes the idea of ​​emigrating for studies is romanticized, as if it were just a postcard of achievements and coffees with international classmates. There are days of loneliness, doubt, nostalgia, and an internal struggle between what was left behind and what has yet to be gained. In those moments, the opportunity cost can be felt acutely. But even in those moments, one can ask: what if I hadn’t done it? What if I hadn’t dared? That answer weighs more heavily.

I have relied on something fundamental along this path: the support of my family and friends who are like sisters. I call them magic (magia), not only because it’s an anagram of friend (amiga), but because that’s what they’ve been for me: a spark of light on difficult days, an emotional safety net, and—in many cases—even financial support. That doesn’t make me any less capable, but rather more grateful and aware of the power of sisterhood.

Furthermore, in the midst of these experiences far from home, I’m experiencing a period of grief; I’ve had to be resilient, rebuild myself from the pain, and learn that, often, a hug can be the last thing you give to a person you love.

That awareness has made every gesture of support, and every word of encouragement, take on even more profound value. Because when your heart is broken, the presence of those who believe in you can sustain you—even from a distance.

Sometimes we think we have to do everything alone, or that asking for help is a sign of weakness, but I’ve learned that there is strength in recognizing that we need others to achieve our goals. When one woman supports another, both grow. Our networks, whether blood or chosen, are an invaluable asset that we should cherish and be grateful for.

Often, fulfilling our dreams means moving away from home. Not only geographically, but also emotionally and mentally. It means moving away from inherited fears, limiting beliefs, and imposed models, and that distance can hurt. But it is also liberating. Today I understand that there is no single path to success, that age, marital status, or place of origin shouldn’t limit you. There are those who start over at 40, or those who change careers at 50, or those who discover their calling when they become mothers, or those who reinvent themselves after a loss.

Achieving dreams involves making brave decisions, and every decision has an opportunity cost. But it also has a break-even point. In finance, that’s the moment when income equals costs, and everything that comes afterwards is profit. In life, that break-even point is the moment you look back and say: it was worth it. For me, that moment comes in every class where I learn something new, in every conversation that broadens my horizons, in every step that brings me closer to the professional woman I want to be.

I don’t want to romanticize sacrifice; it’s not about glorifying suffering or thinking that everything must cost money to have value. But I do believe that everything worthwhile requires commitment, perseverance, and a long-term vision. The process of building our dreams, although complex, is profoundly transformative.

These lines are not just a personal reflection; they are an open letter to all those women who feel the desire to advance, study, undertake, and grow, but are still afraid. Fear of failing, of not being enough, of not having the money, of being too young or too old.

I want to tell you something with complete honesty: fear doesn’t go away; it becomes smaller when we move. You don’t need to have everything figured out to begin. You just need to take the first step.

If you’re hesitating about making an important decision, calculate your own opportunity costs. Ask yourself: What am I missing out on by not taking this path? What possibilities am I denying myself by staying with what I know? What version of me is waiting on the other side of fear? Evaluate your resources, your networks, your time, and, above all, evaluate yourself with generosity, not guilt.

Today, from this city that has welcomed me generously and also challenged me, I can say that the journey has been worth it, that the sacrifices have made sense, and that dreams, when fueled by action, not only come true, they transform into new goals. The most powerful thing I’ve discovered is that it’s never too late to start, to change, to commit to a life that inspires us.

Opportunity costs exist, yes. They will always exist. But there are also benefits to being brave. In the end, it is the best investment we can make for ourselves. We are, as Piedad Bonnett says: a divided woman.

María Teresa Lucas García. Social Communicator. Master’s in Human Talent and Finance. Professional with experience in university teaching, communications consulting for the public and private sectors, and human resources management. Her current projects include developing a thesis on Strategic Communication and Cultural Diplomacy at the Colombian Embassy in Costa Rica.