Response-able

After my previous blog, I have been reflecting on the theme of responsibility. In our Academy, we define 6 levels of responsibility. For the purpose of this blog, I am going to share the first three:

• “To accept and demonstrate responsibility for all your actions and non-actions.”
• “To accept and demonstrate responsibility for being the creator of every experience.”
• “To accept and demonstrate responsibility for everything that happens and occurs in your reality.”

Have you ever considered this perspective of being responsible? If you did, what would change in your life? The Epictetus quote indicates that we are responsible for our response,
“We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.” When applying the levels of responsibility, the question to ask is, what responsibility can you take for the circumstances happening in the first place?

Responsibility is a big theme for me in my life. It has caused many challenges and at the same time has been a great blessing in my process of growth. When I’m having a look at my life and the experiences, be it good or bad, I look at how I am responsible for these experiences. If you can apply just the above three levels of responsibility, you'll already start
to create shifts.

I see many people who are stuck at some level of complaint or frustration due to circumstances. They haven't quite pinpointed what they are responsible for in these circumstances originating. When we don't take responsibility for what we want, we give our power away. This can only lead to disappointment and a feeling of not having control of outcomes. We may even start to blame others for our misfortunes and eventually end up in resignation, thinking nothing we do is good enough.

Taking responsibility can be very loud or very subtle. It can make all the difference.
What are you currently not taking responsibility for?
Where can you shift into responsibility?

In the words of Spider-man, with great power comes great responsibility. Similarly, with great responsibility comes great power.