The Power of Standing Up

Almost three years ago, I started on the path towards accepting responsibility for everything that happens in my life. I was hardly living my “best life” at the time and the repercussions of that were really starting to be a drag.

If you feel like you’re going through your life, doing your best to deal with what the world is “dishing out to you,” then you know what I’m talking about. It’s a terrible feeling.

The good news is that you can change that. The bad news is that only you can change that.

But you must change it. Because going through life taking what the world gives you, in my opinion, isn’t living at all. It is simply existing. You are breathing, but you are not alive.

I experienced this “living death” for many years. It’s awful. And that’s why I was forced to make a change.

The goal (which is always a work in progress) is to stop offloading anything about my life, my circumstances, my feelings, my frustrations or my fears onto anyone or anything other than myself – everything in my life is to become my responsibility. Not my fault… or my doing necessarily… but my responsibility.

At first, I don’t believe I realized just how much of a big deal this really is. And how it’s something you can work on for the rest of your life. It sounds easy in print doesn’t it?

Well it isn’t.

You don’t see too many people exhibiting this kind of powerful behavior in our world. That’s because the world would have you believe that power is the ability to control people and make them do what you want.

True power, as I’ve discovered, has very little if anything to do with that.

Anyway, it took me longer than I care to admit to go from thinking that “personal responsibility” was a good idea to actually embarking on the journey to LIVE it.

It wasn’t easy at first. It still isn’t at times. That’s because claiming your power through personal responsibility is a decision you must make daily.

You have free will. You are free to give away your power and abdicate ultimate responsibility for your life any moment you wish.

No one is watching. And no one cares what you decide.

The path I am on is one to take back my own power (because I’ve been giving it away to a whole lot of people for a very long time) and to use it in a better way. Like to build the life I want.

Living the idea of personal responsibility is a big step towards doing that.

One of the “growth opportunities” on my way to claiming my true power over my life, was to wrestle with this whole idea of personal responsibility. And the road got pretty darn bumpy for a while.

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Read more: Inspiration, Peace, Self-Help, Spirit

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

g d c.

11:56AM PDT on Sep 22, 2012

wow...

September 22
send a green star

Dolly Navina L.

9:34AM PDT on Sep 22, 2012

Beautiful!

Alicia N.

9:12AM PDT on Sep 22, 2012

True that!
Thanks very much.

Kimberly C.

6:45AM PDT on Sep 22, 2012

Shedding the mantle of victimhood and taking responsibility for each day forward is the most liberating and ultimately satisfying thing anyone can do. No matter what happened in the past, only you are responsible for the future. I agree, stand up and take responsibility. It is the one thing you will never regret.

Angela J.

6:25AM PDT on Sep 22, 2012

I was raised to take responsibility for my actions and I've subsequently raised my own 7 children to do the same. I didn't think of it as a magic formula for power...just the way to live your life harmoniously inside your own head. Now that my kids are grown and starting their own lives, I have alot of alone time with my thoughts. I wouldn't want to spend my life rehashing all my actions in my mind, trying in vain to find justification or a fall-guy. I am human and I make mistakes! I like to think that by owning my mistakes, I've been able to learn from them which is what has given me my strength~~wisdom through experience.

Travis W.

6:22AM PDT on Sep 22, 2012

I'm responsible for every thing that I invite into my life, and I invite every experience into my life some how. Even if thats not 100% accurate, though it very well might be, i'm going to assume it is because it's easier to deal with the circumstances that way and i like that better!

It can be fun to float around as a feather in the wind for a while, but I'm with you man, that's not living all the way! Yep this article is great, I am standing up and doing what i want in life, and what i feel is best for the world, and its nobody elses fault if I dont! Boy i feel great this morning :)

Heidi H.

4:48AM PDT on Sep 22, 2012

Good advice. We are the change we want to see.

Leena K.

4:24AM PDT on Sep 22, 2012

and give mercy and do not think, that you are perfect, thanks.

Patricia H.

3:50AM PDT on Sep 22, 2012

thanks for sharing

Lenee K.

12:56AM PDT on Sep 22, 2012

I can totally relate to what we at one point or still going through.. is extremely tough, especially when I am alone and allow loneliness be the excused or perhaps there are more..Yes! There are a whole lot more.. but I'm thankful that I am learning everyday.. thank you for this article!