The Long View

Take the long view about incidents that you're finding stressful. Just because you're finding these new responsibilities stressful now, doesn't mean that they will ALWAYS be so for you in the future.

Think for Ourselves

To lead a life in which we are inspired and can inspire others, our hearts have to be alive; they have to be filled with passion and enthusiasm. To achieve that, we need the courage to live true to ourselves. Rather than borrowing from or imitating others, we need the conviction to be able to think for ourselves and to take action out of our own sense of responsibility.

The Victim's Mentality

Being the victim is easy. It’s easy because it’s always someone or something else’s fault. It’s never your fault, though. What a crock. The victim mentality has got to go. The first step in accepting responsibility for your life is to understand that EVERY choice is yours to make. Everything that you do is because you made one decision instead of another.

Positive People Take Risks

Sometimes parents are not up to the job of parenting and they make mistakes. You could not help what happened to you as a child but you can learn to take responsibility as an adult. You can shape your future but only if you learn to be brave and take risks. Positive people take risks even if they are scared.

Accept Your Child's Path

Sometimes it’s difficult to accept your child’s path other than the one you had hoped and planned for them. So be reminded it is your responsibility to "give them roots and give them wings". Give them a solid foundation of love, but give them the freedom to follow their dreams.

You will make mistakes. Everyone does. You will have regrets. You must learn to accept these things and learn how to move on. Dwelling too long on mistakes serves no purpose but to cause you unnecessary pain. You won't learn from mistakes by hating yourself for making them. Take responsibility for mistakes, take measures to rectify them if possible, and then move on.

You Decide Your Problems

The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your parents, the people in your life, or on your job. You realize that you control your own destiny.

Take self-responsibility. Stop blaming others for your unhappiness. Recognize the consequences of your choices.

Blessed is the person who sees the need, recognizes the responsibility, and actively becomes the answer.

- William A. Ward

Say "No"

Learn to say “no” – many of us just cannot say the words “no” when asked if we mind doing something, this is usually out of fear of upsetting the other person, but if you are taking on the responsibilities of others then you are taking time away from your own workload or tasks and essentially robbing yourself of that precious time which leads
to stressing you out.

- Kaoru

Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life.

- Dalai Lama

Each of us has responsibility for all Humankind. It is time for us to think of other people as true brothers and sisters and to be concerned with their welfare, with lessening their suffering.

- Dalai Lama

Choice Must Accept Consequences

Choice of attention - to pay attention to this and ignore that - is to the inner life what choice of action is to the outer. In both cases, a man is responsible for his choice and must accept the consequences, whatever they may be.

- W. H. Auden

Taking Responsibility

Failing to take responsibility
The consequences for not taking responsibility can be very serious indeed and typically end-up defining your whole life. The typical indicators for failing to take responsibility are...

People pleaser
dependent on others for recognition, approval, affirmation, and acceptance.

Angry, hostile or depressed
Life treating you unfairly

Fearful
Unable to trust yourself to take a risk or make a decision, frightened of everything.

Failing
in relationships and the enterprises you take on in life.

Emotionally or physically unhealthy
not supporting yourself.

Addictive personality
escaping responsibility, looking for external answers.

Over responsible and guilt ridden
A need to rescue and enable others in your life, having to feel needed.

Unable to Trust
Unable to trust or to feel secure with others.

Resistant to vulnerability
Fear of being vulnerable, often linked to past trauma.

How to start taking Responsibility
In order to accept personal responsibility you need to develop the ability to:

Accept responsibility for your responses to the people, actions, and events in your life

Accept that you are completely responsible for your own choices

Be open to change, new ideas or concepts about life and the way life is.

Get help from others

Let go of fear and irrational beliefs

Release anger, fear, blame, mistrust, and insecurity.

Take some risks, be prepared to become vulnerable to change and growth in your life.
Open Up.

Use positive affirmations