Taking responsibility for our actions empowers us, which leads to success, confidence, and happiness.
When we take responsibility, we take ownership of our behavior and the consequences.
We accept our choices and outcomes without blaming others or life circumstances.
For example, just because someone grew up in a violent home does not mean that they have to choose to be violent. This was conditioning and we can choose to make a change if we want to change. It does take work to recognize our conditioning, stand on our own two feet, and make our own decisions for ourselves, our lives, and how we want others to perceive us. We do have choices!
It’s not easy to take responsibility when we did something wrong, but many times we think the consequences are going to be worse than they are. To take responsibility for our actions, we need to be self-aware. Self-awareness is about knowing who we are including strengths, weaknesses, attitudes, thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. Self-awareness gives us the ability to empower ourselves by focusing on our reactions.
Taking responsibility makes us think critically, perform well under pressure, build confidence and resilience, handle challenges more readily, and gives us the opportunity to be our authentic selves. When we have a goal and really want something, taking responsibility provides us with the power of focus.
Learning from our mistakes and others’ mistakes can help us grow and be better. This is called a Growth Mindset (Dweck, 2007). If we choose to sit and wallow in the emotional pain and disappointment, sometimes even making poor choices to make the situation worse, it only hurts us and those around us that love and care for us. By taking care of ourselves, we take care of those that love and care for us. We have the choice to choose what we say, what we do, and how and when we do and say things. We have more choices than we think we do. We should focus on what we CAN control.
Try taking a chance and empowering yourself by taking responsibility for your actions. Don’t hide behind a computer screen or blame another person. Be your authentic self! You will rest better at night and decrease stress, depression, and anxiety. Carl Jung coined the term “the shadow self” explaining that it’s the side of your personality that contains all the parts of yourself that you don’t want to admit to having. At first, it’s unconscious. Only through self-awareness and conscious, intentional effort can we recognize those parts and make behavioral changes. Therefore, all the times that we wanted to be good and make the right decisions but didn’t, our shadow self follows us and grows until we choose to intentionally do something about it.
HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED?
WHAT ARE THE VALUES THAT YOU WANT TO LIVE FOR AN AUTHENTIC LIFE?
HERE ARE 4 BENEFITS OF TAKING RESPONSIBILITY ANF BUILDING CONFIDENCE:
1. Live a meaningful, purposeful life rooted in your values.
2. Living your authentic life decreases stress, anxiety, and depression.
3. Experience inner power, increasing confidence.
4. Feel good about doing good.
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