In the Twenty-First Century, this one word may be one of the most challenging words for many Americans. What is that challenging word? RESPONSIBLE or RESPONSIBILTY.
In my fifty-five years of living, I have a difficult time of thinking when more people did not want to accept responsibility. I do believe that lack of being responsible is due to our nation becoming more immature.
Do you realize how important it is for a human being’s development / growth being responsible is?
Think about it!
From the article: Do You Accept Responsibility for Your Actions: Let’s discuss the first one, accepting personal responsibility – which is taking ownership of your own behavior and the consequences of that behavior. Until you accept responsibility for your actions or failures, it’ll be very difficult for you to develop self-respect or even have the respect of others.
http://www.goodchoicesgoodlife.org/choices-for-young-people/accepting-responsibility-/
As you know in my “E-Triangle,” the two sides of the “E-Triangle” are: respect and responsible (responsibility). You cannot be a fully developed human begin if you do not understand and show either important trait! You are going to be “arrested development.” “Arrested development” is a term used to describe this condition. … It arises when a person is “stuck” at an early phase of emotional development. Arrested development can result from trauma, grief, or neglect. https://kindness-compassion-and-coaching.com/mental-health/arrested-psychological-development/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CArrested%20development%E2%80%9D%20is%20a%20term,trauma%2C%20grief%2C%20or%20neglect.
I love accepting responsibility. I DO!
Why? Because, it is a sense of freedom. When you can simply say, “I am responsible” there is freedom in that phrase.
Try it. “I am responsible.”
Being responsible should be one of the traits all human beings / sane human beings have in common. As much as “death” is THE “trait,” all human beings will have in common. What follows death? Well, that is something for all of us human beings to face.
I want ME / my friends / my students / my family to be responsible.
A simple understanding of being responsible is how do you feel when you are irresponsible? When you are irresponsible, don’t you feel sick? Don’t you feel you have let others down? Hasn’t your choice to be irresponsible let you down?
As I like to ask me students (I teach high school band), if you don’t like making the wrong choices, then … why do you continue to make the wrong choices? Why do you choose to hurt yourself and then in the process, hurt many others?
There is a phrase: “accountability partners.” Folks you trust to hold you accountable!
Well, we need to have “responsibility partners.” Folks you trust will hold you responsible for your choices / your actions! We seem to do better – unfortunately – when we allow others to hold us responsible or even – accountable.
Do all you can to accept responsibility for 100% of all your choices / actions. Do not “blameshift!” Accept the blame for being irresponsible and there is a very good chance many folks will forgive you and move forward WITH you, oppose to choosing someone else to move forward together. Again, all of us make mistakes / bad choices.
Read these poems I have found for us (you / me) and see if one or two can help encourage you to be a better human being; a more complete human being. A human being who knows / lives the equation:
Respect + Responsibility + Discipline + Integrity + Faith = LOVE
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“The Responsibility Poem” by Charles Osgood
There was a most important job that needed to be done,
And no reason not to do it, there was absolutely none.
But in vital matters such as this, the thing you have to ask
Is who exactly will it be who’ll carry out the task?
Anybody could have told you that Everybody knew
That this was something Somebody would surely have to do.
Nobody was unwilling; Anybody had the ability.
But Nobody believed that it was their responsibility.
It seemed to be a job that Anybody could have done,
If Anybody thought he was supposed to be the one.
But since Everybody recognized that Anybody could,
Everybody took for granted that Somebody would.
But Nobody told Anybody that we are aware of,
That he would be in charge of seeing it was taken care of.
And Nobody took it on himself to follow through,
And do what Everybody thought that Somebody would do.
When what Everybody needed so did not get done at all,
Everybody was complaining that Somebody dropped the ball.
Anybody then could see it was an awful crying shame,
And Everybody looked around for Somebody to blame.
Somebody should have done the job
And Everybody should have,
But in the end Nobody did
What Anybody could have.
Responsibility Poem – Author Unknown
I am responsible
for all that I do,
from turning in work
to making friends, too.
to be kind or mean.
It is up to me
just how much I will learn;
the grades that I get
will be grades that I earn.
I make the choice
to be happy or sad,
to have a good day,
or have one that is bad.
So I will choose
what is best for me.
I am responsible;
I hold the key!
Responsibility By Amber Rose
Something I’m learning, something that I know is true.
The only person responsible for your actions is you.
What goes around, comes around, as you may have heard.
You give and take, you receive what you deserve.
As much as I may not want to admit, this mess that I’m in, I got myself into it.
What I’ve done, I’ve done a couple of times.
They say you live and learn, well why didn’t I?
So I’m dealing with the pain, and taking on the ache
I have to lie in the bed I didn’t mean to make,
So instead of looking up 2 heaven and asking God 4 help
I’ll take a look in the mirror, a good look at myself.
I have to realize and accept what I’ve done wrong,
Learning lessons is tough but not if your strong.
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Also, we are needing financial support. Here is our VENMO information. Please support our mission in helping “better people make better leaders.” Our message is for all people! All five words (respect / responsible / discipline / integrity / faith) are HUMAN words.
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