This morning I walked along the creek behind my house. It was swollen from the recent rains, very lively and made those wonderful sounds of water flowing. There is something very soothing about the sounds of water whether it is the ocean or a stream.
I walk along the stream for a while to contemplate the day and my mind explored several ideas about what I wanted to create in my life. It was a good walk and very motivating. As you probably already know I believe in the power of the mind and heart to create what you and I want in our lives. This got me thinking about responsibility, which could also be respond-ability or the ability to respond. This is an empowering concept and a practice of power.
In created the life you want, you must be able to respond to what is flowing your direction. Like the stream after the rains you need to adapt to, direct, respond to what is coming your way. You also need to know that you create your reality. When you have respond-ability you make things happen because you know you are the doer and the result creator. Taking responsibility means you are fully aware that you are the one who makes your life happen; there is no blaming or complaining because it is your life and you own it. Blaming and complaining are crap magnets, the more you reject responsibility the more powerless you feel and the less things work out the way you want them to in your life.
Responsibility is a practice of power because you know it is a powerful stance in life. You are saying, I create my reality and I look only to me for the results. That doesn’t mean you don’t join with others or seek the guidance of a higher source. It simply puts you at the center of your life with a knowing that you are responsible for how it goes.
If you listen to others for very long you will hear that many do not know the power of responsibility. The world is full of blaming and complaining and frustrated people who wonder why things aren’t working out. Sure you will have moments but don’t stay there long or you will soon feel like a victim of circumstances and others. There is no power in the role of the victim.
This practice of power starts with your thinking and involves your heart. Start with exploring your thoughts and watch to see if they are coming from your ability to respond or from the place of looking outside of yourself as the creator of your results. Here is a practice to explore:
Begin each day with a visualization of what you want to create. Next come up with the steps you want to take to make that happen. From there move into action and watch what unfolds. Do you stay in your power, do you take responsibility as you go, do you slip into blame or by chance complain? This process of observing is very helpful because with awareness you can make the choices necessary to succeed. As you understand the way that you create your day you gain a greater ability to respond successfully.
The stance of responsibility is a powerful one. Walk today with the full responsibility of each step in creating the life you want. Tomorrow we will explore the heart and it’s place in enhancing your ability to respond to the world with passion, purpose and power.
Joan Didion
The willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life is the source from which self-respect springs.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.
Josiah Gilbert Holland
Responsibility walks hand in hand with capacity and power.