Decision making. Whatever process you use to arrive at your decisions, your satisfaction with your decision will depend largely on whether you claim ownership of your choices. If you feel pressured into a choice or not in control of the conditions, you'll find even positive outcomes colored negatively. On the other hand, taking full responsibility for your choices can make even failure feel like a success -- you'll know you did your best and you'll have gained valuable experience for your invested time.

The important thing is to have a sound process for making decisions. Emotions are often unreliable, particularly with respect to how we will feel in the future. Going with instincts can be a start to the process, but still make sure you consider how the decision will apply to the current and future situations.

A process will help break the decision into smaller parts that can be managed within our cognitive limits. Various techniques and tools can also support the decision maker by reducing the number of required distinct thoughts. however, discipline is required to capture the information used during the process.

Experiment with different techniques to find a decision-making system that works best for you. Use wisdom in making a decision now to gain a positive outcome or reward later.

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Are you haunted by something that happened in your past? Whether someone wronged you or you made a decision you regret, maybe you have anger or resentment. What you may not realize, is that powerful, self-destructive emotions like anger, hate and resentment can cause you to pay an incredibly high price. Forgiveness is the way to get your power back.

There is power in forgiveness. Forgiving the people who hurt you, even if they don't ask for it, is what yo do for yourself, not for other people. When you forgive, it doesn't mean that you approve of what's happened. Rather, it means that you're giving yourself permission to move on with your life. 

Generally, forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge. The act that hurt or offended you may always remain a part of your life, but forgiveness can lessen its grip on you and help you focus on other, positive parts of  your life. Forgiveness can even lead to feelings of understanding, empathy, and compassion for the one who hurt you.

Forgiveness doesn't mean that you deny the other person's responsibility for hurting you, and it doesn't' minimize or justify the wrong. You can forgive the person without excusing the act. Forgiveness brings a kind of peace that helps you go on with life.