Tag Archives: responsibility

21

Believe It

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Creating a shortlist of beliefs on which I think my life is hopefully based is a difficult task but one I am continually polishing and evaluating as life teaches me the lessons I need to learn.  People come into your life, situations change, we learn, we lose, we grow, and the lessons are what we are left with and the beliefs are the constants that strain out of the mess that is left of our lives after all experiences happen. So this product is ever-evolving, and I am editing it as I see fit, but I stick with what I say at this moment.  At least for today, until they have been proven false tomorrow, and then I will adjust.

All People are Connected

Call it God, the Universe, or whatever your religion dictates, but we are all connected through a divine order to me.  All people are fundamentally the same and contain the same abilities for great good and equal power to commit great evil.  That is just a part of this crazy game called life. Just as everyone is the same, each person is a unique creation as well. There has never been another person exactly like you, and there will never be another one again. There is something extraordinary about that.  We are all bound together in the experience of life and the story evolving out of it.

All of us have a connection on the soul level.  The human ego has been developed to make us feel like we are all alone and isolated. But the truth is that it is just an illusion and breaking that can change your life.  When people look to their similarities, and away from what separates them, anything is possible.  We are all connected, and that should be the hope of your life. When you look at someone else, don’t judge anyone too harshly.  You are only a few circumstances away from being the same.

Your Actions Define Who YOU Are

Talk is cheap. What you do is the definition of your character.  I have heard the soft and sympathetic words that were worth absolutely nothing but have been blessed by the actions of many great people.  Saying you are something means nothing. Being that thing means everything.  Each day all people are faced with a large number of choices, be positive or negative. Loving or fearful. Kind or judgmental. Etc. It is these choices that lead to action and define us to the world. Make your choices carefully.

How do you want to be seen in the world?  Think about that when you make a thousand decisions making up your day.  I have heard people speak about the virtues of kindness globally and then treat people in their day-to-day life in a very mean and judgmental fashion.  What type of person are they? Kind or mean? Words say kind things, but actions are callous and cold to human understanding. Your actions are mean, selfish, and insensitive, then that is what you are.  The good news is anyone can change at any moment and become a better version of themselves. Let your actions be a ringing endorsement of your character, not a condemnation.

Thinking Positively Leads to Positive Results

Bad stuff happens to everyone at some point in life. How you deal with it is essential to the quality of your life and those around you.  Life is full of things that you define subjectively as good or bad. Our attitude about these events is what will determine our lives.  Look at the good in all situations.  You may not be able to see it at first but ask yourself, “How can this make me better?” or “What is this situation trying to teach me?”  The truth is no situation is positive or negative. There is a little of both in everything.  It is up to you to find it.  How well you make these choices defined how happy you are in life.

Defining things as positives allows you to enjoy life more, be healthier, and support those you love. At the same time, negative thinking is defeatist and will supply you with the exact opposite. As I mentioned above, you choose every day to be positive or negative in this world.  Positive thinking will lead to positive results in your life. How much positivism do you prefer?

All People Have Value

This is difficult to remember sometimes when I am angry or someone has hurt me, but that doesn’t change the fact that I believe this is true.  People live differently, make poor decisions, and look differently, but inside they all have value.   All that separates any of us from the circumstances of another is mere chance.  At our core, we are all beings of love. Therefore, understand and giving love is the most important thing.

Every person is a teacher and a learner. You can learn something from everyone. A valuable lesson can come from a simple conversation or just in observation of someone living their life. I don’t look in judgment but in understanding and appreciation of what their experience brings. For example, Victor Frankel was a Holocaust survivor who didn’t let the worst experience of his life dim his hope for humanity. I take that lesson and apply it to my life all the time. If he could remain positive, what excuse do I have to feel bad?  We can learn those lessons from all sorts of people every day.

Action Is Mandatory for Success

Every person that has ever been born has had a dream of some kind. There are no exceptions.  When a person takes action, they can make their dream come true.  Even if that action doesn’t work out, then you have gained valuable information that you can use to try again. Many people carry a lot of fear around inside them, of many different things.  Action kills fear because it removes all doubt. Either something is going to work, or it isn’t. There is no need to worry or fret because you have all the information right in front of you. Taking action is the reality check and a powerful ally to all people. Take action and see what you can accomplish in your life today.

Start your business, ask for the date, apply for the job, say what you mean. All of your actions will lead to repercussions for which you will be responsible, but that is a great way to live life. Embrace all of the ripples of your existence and never apologize for them. If you are honest and trustworthy and explain why you did what you did to those who matter, you have nothing to be ashamed of or worried about.  Let your action do the talking, and it will create a life of consequence.

Forgiveness is Necessary

To forgive someone for something they did that harmed you is very difficult. It can’t just be lip service of saying that they are forgiven. It has to be inside your heart.  The only one who can give forgiveness is you, and the sooner you give it, the sooner you can move on.  Letting go of pain, sadness, anger, or any other negative emotion is key to enjoying life.   I read somewhere that you know that someone is forgiven when you think of them, and there is no subtle searing inside your heart.

It can take a conscious effort, but with forgiveness comes freedom, strength, and love. Choices that are made from love are generally good choices. To hold on to anger or pain is to give power to someone else over your life, and clearly, they don’t deserve to be a part of your life if they hurt you or treated you with disregard. Forgive them and learn never to treat anyone inadequately again.  Let your ripples be of kindness and joy.  Forgive everyone, including yourself, and move forward with the best intentions to be the best version of yourself possible.

Embrace Love, Avoid Fear

All people carry this inside of them, and the one you pay attention to will determine how much you enjoy this ride we call life.  Focus on the love-based emotions like kindness, understanding, generosity, acceptance, patience, and love while avoiding the fear-based feelings and thoughts of anger, hate, separation, jealousy, stereotyping, and judgment. It can be harder to do than it sounds, but the effort is well worth it. Love is a powerful way to think that will allow you to become the best version of yourself spiritually, physically, and mentally. Love leads to kindness and personal growth. Fear is the opposite of love, and it will lead to isolation and a negative life experience. Not many people are happy with their fear-based thoughts, and living through love makes it impossible not to be satisfied.

There it is, some simple things to help you think about ways to move better through your day and your life.  The song below is one of my all-time favorites; it reminds me of how life changes and moves. We do move like water, and you never know when life will end, and all we have is this moment.  Love much and believe in yourself ultimately!! Be the most extraordinary person you can be, and make sure your beliefs allow you to shine fully.

21

Responsible

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responsibleI have failed to be responsible in many ways throughout my life. I have been selfish, short-sighted, greedy, and petty many times. These experiences have led me to the conclusion that I needed to become responsible for my actions in the world and the energy that surrounded my actions or lack of action.

I am Responsible for My Actions

There were too many times when I didn’t do anything productive in my life. responsibleI spent my time just entertaining myself to get through the day. Watch this, buy that, listen to another thing but ignore the actions you could take that actually provide value and contribute to a better world. As you get older, you start to understand that this game of life we are in does have a time limit, and all of the time you waste on selfish endeavors is permanently passing you by.

You have a responsibility to your life to act. There is a choice of what those actions will look like and what they will accomplish, but there is no choice that you are responsible for the results of your choices. You choose to gossip, understand the negative results that energy will bring to your life. When you choose to treat someone poorly in business, you are choosing to reap the cost of that action in your life.  You are responsible for all of the choices that you make.

Manage Your Time be Responsible

Manage your time wisely, and that means two things to me. First, you realize that time is finite, and every moment that passes is precious and provides an opportunity for you to do something great or do nothing at all. The responsi lepossibility exists for all things, and the person who decides what those things are is you.

Secondly, I think that the game could be over at any moment. One of the things that life doesn’t give you is an expiration date. The game of life could be over today, right now at this moment. Understanding this truly will make a person want to leave nothing undone. There is no guarantee that tomorrow will come, so get done today what you can contribute.  All you can manage really is the moment that you are in.

Don’t Look Back

don't look backThere is no way to go back in time and change the mistakes you have made. As much as you would like to, it isn’t possible. Accept responsibility for your actions by learning from your mistakes and moving forward with all of your experience, and try to make the world a little bit better by doing so. You are responsible for this in your life, and nobody else can help you.

“The price of greatness is responsibility.”- Winston Churchill

“Accepting complete responsibility for your life means that you refuse to make excuses or blame others for anything in your life that you’re not happy about.” – Brian Tracy

“Accept the terrible responsibility of life with eyes wide open.” – Jordan Peterson

“Find joy in everything you choose to do. Every job, relationship, home, it’s your responsibility to love it or change it.” – Chuck Palahniuk

 

21

Change is Happening

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Here Comes the Change

Accepting changeThere are many ways change occurs in our lives. Sometimes it is quick and jarring, leaving trauma and drama in its wake. These are the changes that make you consider living a different way. Nothing will ever be the same. But more often, change is like a dripping faucet. As each drop slowly accumulates, you never notice until the thing that once was one way is now totally another.  Change is happening to us all day, and Heraclitus was right; it is one of the constants we can always rely on. All we can do is work on our ability to accept change and make choices to roll with it. 

Getting Better or Getting Worse

Each of us is changing every day, and it is important to take stock of ourselves and where we are in life. Each day we are either getting better, or we are getting worse.  Nobody is staying the same. It is impossible. The movement may be minuscule and hard to see, but you move in one direction or the accepting changeother each day.  That makes it important to know exactly where you are in all areas of your life, physically, spiritually, mentally, or financially so that you can understand your progress.

Each of us makes decisions both large and small, which will dictate your direction. Do I go to the gym or skip today? Do I spend money on that new pair of shoes or not? Do I practice kindness or not? Do I participate in gossip or not? All of these and many more choices are made by you each day, and the only person responsible for them is you. You are in control of your destiny and determine if you are getting better or getting worse.

Accepting Change

Change is so difficult for most of us because we are so attached to our current lives. Even if things are not perfect and things are changing for the better, it is our instinct to resist because deep down, we are afraid that a change may make things worse.  It may not be perfect now, and I may not enjoy my accepting changecircumstances, but at least I can handle them.  Don’t fear the changes that are happening in your life. Let life flow, and it will most often take you to a better place.

If you have a goal and it doesn’t involve your current job, relationship, or the area you live in. You can’t be afraid when life starts moving you in a new direction. All of your dreams and goals will be found by trying something new and accepting the changes that come into your life.  Each new change will teach you a skill and help you become a better, more well-rounded person. Accepting change will allow us to grow. 

Life is full of ups and downs; things will never stay the same, and change is happening every day. Your choices can help dictate the direction of the change that you experience. When the big ones come, a death, the loss of a job, or the ending of a relationship, understand that pain is a part of the process of letting go. It will never be easy because we have attachments to people and situations. Circumstances will come, and they will go, love people as best you can, enjoy each second of all situations because one way or another, it may all be over at any time. 

“The only thing that is constant is change.” ~Heraclitus