Are you constrained by choice or circumstance?

A colleague once posed this question, catching me off guard. It resonated deeply, reflecting my own internal struggle, one I hadn’t quite articulated until then.Being the eldest in an Asian family home, I grew up feeling “sheltered” or “confined”, which fueled my social anxiety growing up. These circumstances, coupled with the lack of opportunities, have often limited my ability to fully engage in various activities like a normal kid would do. Every interaction felt like navigating a minefield, each step fraught with anxiety. Opportunities seemed scarce, and the few that did present themselves often felt out of reach.

If only I had a chance… or a choice, would my situation be different?

Or is it merely a consequence of the circumstances that have shaped my existence?