"The happiness of your life depends on the quality
of your thoughts."
~Marcus A. Antoninus
Being
responsible is one of our most important
personal duties. Responsibility makes the
difference between the medium and the
magnificent. Unfortunately, much of the world
has developed a "victim mentality," where it's
easier to blame others than to take
responsibility. When we learn that we are
responsible for our actions, thoughts, goals and
futures, we can begin to lay a path toward
greatness. If we are stuck in the victim
mentality then we always leave our fate at the
hands of others.
Self-Management expert Carol Gerber Allred,
Ph.D., author of Positive Actions For Living,
offers this insight into self-management:
"Whether we realize it or not, we are all
managers responsible for our own resources.
Every one of us has resources of time, energy,
talents, money, possessions, thoughts, actions
and feelings that we need to manage. We feel
good about ourselves when we manage our
resources well."
Here
are a few fundamentals to review about
self-responsibility:
We are responsible for our own actions.
No matter who tries to sway us or encourage us,
in the end we are completely responsible for
everything that we do. When acting out in any
form, know that you are responsible for the
positive or negative outcome that results from
your action.
Blame need not exist. Blaming another person
is a seed of the victim mentality. Blame allows
people to avoid taking responsibility and
action. When we are productive and responsible,
there isn't any issue of blame.
Give up the guilt. By being responsible we
are bound to make decisions that won't always be
the "best" or "correct." That's all right. It's
better to make mistakes and learn than to blame
and stall.
Your Turn: Take some time to
think about the role of responsibility in your
life. Are you responsible? If the answer is
'no,' think about the areas where responsibility
lacks. Choose a strategy to try and reinstate
responsibility.
Your Affirmation: I am
responsible for my life and my choices and my
thoughts.
