Accepting Responsibility
Have you ever looked at some of the people you know and wondered how in the world do they get themselves into such trouble?
How about professional athletes? Politicians?
How is it that their lives are so public but they sometimes lack accountability for their actions? We are often left to vote for the lesser of two evils, or cheer for the team … and not because we trust them or believe what they say, but because we are trying to understand how lives can go so terribly wrong on such a public arena.
I’ve just had a “big” birthday – one of those milestone numbers. It gave me an opportunity to look back over my life and consider some of the choices I’ve made – times when I came to a crossroads and made a poor decision. I’d like to tell you I learned from all of my mistakes – but I am a slow learner. Some mistakes I’ve repeated more than once. The consequences of bad decisions are painful and allow others to question our integrity or competence.
The good news is we can all learn to make better choices and decisions – but we have a teachable spirit.
- Are you willing to look at the decisions that you make, or need to make, or have made, that are affecting your relationships?
- Will you accept responsibility for your decisions? Life can be difficult. Are you responsible for your choices and your actions? Or do you play the victim and blame others?
- You will be misunderstood in life. This may happen at work, in friendships or in your family. Others will see you and your decisions through their life experiences. How do you handle the inevitability of being misunderstood?
- Speak the truth. Being responsible means being honest. Are you willing to speak the truth under difficult circumstances – when the stakes are high?
With a teachable spirit, and a desire for self-awareness, we can work together to help make life choices and decisions that you will be confident with.
If you have a birthday coming up, here’s wishing you the best of times.