Authors Supporting Authors

Decisions- What do they mean to each one of us?  Some
people have a hard time making decisions and may even change them frequently, while others- decision making skills may come quickly and stable. The Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary gives
this definition of decisions: The passing of judgment on an
issue under consideration or firmness of character or
action; determination.

      "Character Counts" is a non-profit organization which
highlights seven guidelines for the decision making process.
It’s called the Seven-Path to Better Decisions:

1.         Stop and Think

2          Clarify Goals

3.         Determine Facts

4.         Develop Options

5.         Consider Consequences

6.         Choose

7.         Monitor and Modify

However, most people may choose the sixth step first and then proceed with the first step.

      Let’s take a moment to judge our own lives, right here,
right now. Whatever situation or issues that are evolving in our
life, consider them and acknowledge them. Consciously open
your eyes to what is going on in your life. We all have a flock of opinions.  Start by judging your own life and giving an honest opinion of it. We may be surprised by what we discover.

      The decisions we make right now can change our entire life
for better or worse. By the time you read to the end of this
article, make a decision about something in your life that you’d
like to change or improve and act on it.
      “Some people just aren't good at making decisions. One
cause for differences in decision making may lie just above your eyes, in a brain structure called the ventromedial prefrontal
cortex. In an experiment studying a group of people with  
damage to that specific area in the brain, a team of psychologists based at the University of Iowa discovered that the
ventromedial prefrontal cortex may aid decision making by providing access to a storehouse of emotionally-tinged             memories.” (Samanna Productions Inc.)
      Plainly put, we’ve all encountered different experiences in
life, emotionally, physically, or spiritually.  We take in
information differently, so when deciding what to do, various
factors in our brain begin to take effect.
      Let’s evaluate our current condition to figure out what
decisions we’ve made in the past that have gotten us to where
we are presently.  If you currently like your situation, make a
note of what you have done in the past and make more
decisions that have gotten you where you are.  If you currently don’t like where you are, then make a note of the decisions you could have made differently in the past. List some of the consequences they now have on your life.  When we
consciously become aware of what is going on, we can access
it, change it, andcmake a better decision.

      Decisions are a big part of each of our lives. Decisions can
mean the difference between a world of happiness and a world filled with pain and regret.

Sources:

Josephson Institute of Ethics-Character Counts. (2005) Resources: 
Making Ethical Decisions, "The Seven-Step Path to Better Decisions." 

Samanna Productions, Inc. (October 1997) “Decision Making: The psychology behind making the right call.” Science Friday.