TAKE CHARGE! – The role of Responsibility in Personal Growth.
‘Taking responsibility for your welfare and growth is the first step to real freedom.’
In the world today, many people find it satisfactory to blame others for their setbacks in life.
Ever heard stuff like, ‘l would be better off today if I wasn’t raised the way I was.’?
Or the very common tact of blaming the government and every other person but ourselves for our difficulties in life.
Unknowingly, we tend to resort to a state of complacency in areas of our lives we feel aren’t totally under our control. But if this continues, we will not make much progress.
At some point as an individual, you have to own up to the reality that your life is yours to manage. And that you’re responsible for all that happens in it.
Because the more you shift blame for your current circumstances, the less power you have to change it.
Now, this applies in different scenarios.
Case 1: Are you constantly held back as a result of what others have/are putting you through? I.e you constantly blame your parents, spouse, government, boss, etc for a misfortune or inadequacy in your life.
If yes, then you need to get out of the mental rut that you can’t grow beyond the effects of what’s been done to you.
It may have hurt, and you may have been stunted by the actions/inactions of others, but you can’t allow what happened in your past to disrupt the entire course of your life.
You need to call off the pity party, face the reality of your situation, identify areas within your control and begin to work on them.
Case 2: Do you hold back from taking certain decisions/actions to grow, hoping that others would do so for you?
Many young persons find themselves in this scenario. E.g, waiting on your parents to decide the course you intend to study or even choose the person to marry, etc…
It is utter silliness to sit back and accept that someone else would shoulder responsibility for your life. They may not make the right decisions for you, and you will end up in case 1, where you begin to cast blame because they chose wrongly.
To avoid this, realize that you are responsible for yourself and that you can choose wisely. It’s okay to ask for guidance, but the ultimate decision still lies with you. Trust yourself to lead your life, and begin to do so.
Case 3: Are you constrained by the decisions of certain people who are authority figures over you?
In this case, you should learn to take up responsibilities in little things. They probably keep enforcing their will on you because you haven’t shown yourself to be responsible. You should prove otherwise.
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In essence, there will be no growth until you decide to become responsible for your life.
Prove that you’re up to the task of leading yourself by taking your stand on matters that concern you, and speaking up for yourself.
I’d leave you with this quote by H.K Abell.
If you can take responsibility for your own life, then you will begin to realize that you can change it.
GROW WITH AMY witten by Amarachi Agubueze