Ramifications

I'm the first to admit that I am a man of instinct. I act on impulse in almost every situation and rarely think anything through. The following quote from Hagakure is the best way of summing up my feelings on decision making;

In the words of the ancients, one should make his decision within the space of seven breaths. It is a matter of being determined and having the spirit to break through to the other side.

I follow that statement almost religiously and so far it has not led me astray. However recently I am finding that harder and harder to do. There are things in my life that make it harder to make split decisions and I find that I am unsure how to proceed. Should I push forward as I always have and deal with the wake left by my actions when the time comes, or should I reevaluate the process in which those actions are decided upon? Is this a turning point in my life or a mere test of my resolve?

There are many factors bringing about this chain of thought. Suddenly it's no longer a matter of how I will deal with the consequences, but how others will perceive or react to the decisions I make. It seems as though the way I've lived my life is finally catching up to me. Perhaps I will strive forward with the same stance I've taken throughout my life; living in the moment and never worrying about tomorrow, but I find that may be a lonelier prospect than I orginally thought...