Do people think you're fickle, unreliable[,] or irresponsible for changing so readily?

Perhaps. To us it's more important that we feel what we're doing is appropriate than that others necessarily perceive it immediately to be. If a thing isn't working in the long-term we search it to figure out what we missed in our earlier considerations and make the changes that seem to address those new learnings, or, if we find that we were right on track but had for some reason simply gotten stuck or see a problem but no solution, we make no immediate changes and either stand still for a while or find a way to continue on the path we're already traveling, whichever seems most appropriate to the situation. The opinions of others come into play when those people are in a place we wouldn't mind finding ourselves and/or when they've demonstrated in creating their own lives (regardless of it's similarity to anything we might be interested in) the sort of attitude we espouse and foster, and then only to the degree that it's appropriate to apply those opinions to our own lives. My personal opinion is that I would rather change readily, change when I'm ready to do so and when my world will readily accommodate that change, than change impetuously or refuse to change at all, understanding that readiness for me (and for my husband, who shares this perspective) includes having made appropriate consideration and exploration of the idea I'm thinking of changing over to, including concerns both practical and fantastic. We don't expect ourselves to go through life without ever making a mistake. We only expect ourselves to be willing to see our current situation realistically and address it reasonably, acknowledging our part in things, accepting those parts over which we have no control[,] and working to make the most of the whole thing for everyone involved without allowing ourselves to be swayed from what we feel is right but at the same time not asking others to relinquish their own beliefs. So perhaps, but that's alright. :)