SELF-RESPECT

TODAY'S QUOTE:
The willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life is the source from which self-respect springs. - Joan Didion

The moment that you stop blaming others for your shortcomings the gate to positive change opens wide. When you dwell on blame you give up the right to earn positive credit for overcoming whatever chaos someone else created in your life. Once excuses are proven useless then any blame or glory belongs solely to you. And how sweet is that? People screw up... they do it to each other... they do it to themselves, but once you notice you're wearing a dunce hat, removing it is easy.

Wearing it for life may seem impossible, but if you don't lift a finger it'll perch on your bean proudly forevermore.  Why spend a whole lifetime   whining about the ugly hat that bad luck and sad circumstances crowned you with? Outgrow it... outsmart it... overthrow it... or outlive it! And once it's gone quickly replace it with one that better suits your soul. But be warned that the steps necessary to remove and replace are the simplest part of this exercise. 

Keeping it off is much more difficult. Doing that requires a mindset adjustment that must be tweaked from time-to-time throughout your lifetime. Altering the way you look at things is the only way to change your reactions. Why rush into action and take the chance of stumbling over your own missteps. Making a molehill mountain takes hardly any time or extra effort, but the struggle to pump the brakes and slow the rotation can be brutal. Repetition is the only way to gain the strength of purpose necessary to become deliberately centered and in control.

We're all walking wounded, shaped by things that were out of our control and our reactions to undeserved pain. We've all lived through, done, or had done to us things that we wish we could change. Letting regrets of the past, or resentment towards anyone guide your footsteps is all too often how we travel a large portion of our journey. The alternative route is hard work that will earn you peace of mind and soul. Self-respect is fed or starved by whatever controls your mindset.

Deliberate action of the positive kind... no matter what negatives you face is a banquet of your own choosing. Automatic over-reactions of the negative sort will starve your soul into submission. It's your kitchen so why not become a chef who stocks wisely and is always prepared to whip up something healthy? Once you decide who is responsible for what happens next blame will be a burden you can't afford to continue carrying. Think about it... let it ride... then decide!!!