We've all been at a crossroads at certain points in our lives where we've had to make one or more life-altering decisions. Here are just a few examples: Deciding whether to take one job or another  Deciding whether to ask out/date one person or another Deciding whether to have kids Deciding whether to buy a house and choosing among alternatives Deciding whether to get married or divorced Deciding whether to end an old friendship And so on... Many times, the decision is forced upon us because of circumstances beyond our control. For example, if we're laid off, we have no choice but to jump back into the job market and look for work. That, of course, assumes that nothing fortuitous happens in the interim -- like winning the lottery!) Then again, many of us make decisions that we later realize were poorly planned out -- if at all. I have friends who wound up having kids at a younger age than they'd anticipated. This in turn has put a serious financial str...