On Being Responsible

Photo credit Stormseeker

There is a saying that goes... if you don't have anything nice to say... don't say anything.
I feel like that is the crux of my lack of blog posts for the past year. I don't have anything very nice to say these days.
​I am very worried about our collective future. 

Think not what can your country do for you, but what you can do for your country."
​ John F Kennedy

We live in a world of expectation and suffering. Blame of someone else somehow makes us feel better about ourselves.
The government should fix things. My boss is responsible for how terrible things are.
Maybe some of these expectations are true.
AND​ - what is also true - we are each responsible for our experience to at least some degree. 

Imagine a world where people said, "well the news was telling us that there were long lines at the airport and they were right. And I chose to travel so I choose to navigate long lines, delays and trip disruption."

Imagine a world where someone said, "well it is a NDA is a document designed to stop me from speaking about an event that upset me. I agreed to sign the NDA document. I agreed to no longer talk about this event. I guess I chose to experience the regret I am experiencing."

Imagine a world where someone said, "well I agreed to work here. I agreed to allow people to treat me this way and I have stayed in this job, effectively saying to these people they could continue to treat me this way. I guess I am responsible for my unhappiness at work."

That is not the current reality. The current reality is to blame the other party - wholly and completely.
The current reality is to choose being a victim rather than to choose to be the person who can change one's world.

Empowerment means YOU change to meet the world. It doesn't mean the world changes for you.
To empower oneself is the ultimate responsibility one has for oneself. 
Yes, there are victims. But when the event that made them a victim is over, they can choose to continue to be the victim, or to empower a change that will prevent further victimhood. 

I am a big fan of the work of Byron Katie because it is all about being responsible for one's own experience. And then taking the action to empower oneself. If you haven't tried it - do!

If you want to face life fully and own your experience, The Work can take you there... if you do the work ;)