Personal Responsibility
Each of us plays an important role in the world, regardless of our status, how much money we have, where we live, what we do for a living, whether we are married or single, whether we have children, or whether we are children.
Every one of our thoughts, emotions, ideas, and dreams contributes to the landscape of humanity. Together we make the world the way it is. In the grand scheme of things, there is no one more important or less important than you, only people with different roles. Everyone’s presence on the planet adds to the collective consciousness. Everyone is important.
It is not unusual to look at someone and think, How magnificent you are. But there is someone, somewhere, looking in your direction thinking that about you.
If we want the world to be different, it is up to us to take responsibility for it. Each of our intentions, positive or negative, contributes to the whole and changes it in some way, just as creating a website changes the information content of the Internet.
Every thought and emotion, value and belief, idea and dream, is valid, even seemingly negative ones. It is not always harmful to have negative thoughts or painful emotions, even though we are well aware of their effects. It is often the case that people experience pain in order to jump up into a positive state. The challenging experience of pain can help us to grow.
It is important, also, not to judge a person acting from a negative space. To do so is to show a lack of compassion for another’s pain and also to condemn yourself! Everyone has a place in the world and together we make it exactly the way it is.
If we want to make lasting changes in the world, consistency is the key. What we consistently project has a more lasting effect. So, if you want to see the world you dream of, first examine the contents of your own mind and take note of what you are projecting on a consistent basis. Second, work on resolving your own personal suffering. And finally, bring your thoughts, attitudes, and actions into alignment with what you wish to see in the world.
Each of us, individually, is much more important and powerful than we believe. It is because most of us don’t realize this that we keep on thinking and behaving in the same way. If, however, we can learn to consistently see the world through wiser eyes, seeing the beauty of nature and the inner beauty of all people, then we will create more beauty. This can be the legacy that we leave for our children.
Many of us condemn events that are undesirable, berating “people” for not doing anything to change things while never realizing that we have a constant hand in their creation. Our attitude provides the food that nourishes the people doing the very things we disapprove of. We would do better to simply notice what is undesirable and then say that we love whatever the opposite might be. For example, seeing war as undesirable, you might want to say, “I love peace” and then be peaceful in your interactions with people. Also, try to focus on examples of peace in your personal life and in the world, because what you focus on you get more of.
It would also be good to search for the place within yourself that houses forgiveness, and practice forgiving people for any wrongs you believe they have done to you or to the world.
If you have difficulty in doing any of these things, then seek a suitable resource, book, counselor, therapist, or teacher who can guide you in changing your inner beliefs, because it is our inner beliefs that cause us to think and act in particular ways. One such book I would recommend is Loving What Is by Byron Katie.
Being mindful like this is taking personal responsibility for your own life and for the part you play in the world. This is important, because you are an inspiration to people all over the world, even if you don’t realize it. Who you choose to be today will impact the people you come into contact with and, through the web, the people you do not. It is who you choose to be now that matters.
So who do you choose to be?
