Several decades ago I was in a Toastmasters club to improve my public speaking. I heard lots of good speeches, but one stands out. I have leaned on it several times over the years. It was given by my friend Peggy and was about personal responsibility and handling blame regarding a situation in which she found herself. Through the ordeal she kept asking herself the question, who did what?
The line is genius, because it cuts to the heart of the matter in one of the toughest parts of life, accountability. Most of my life I had a hard time handling mess ups. I talked about this in my post Being Wrong. I realized It’s not the end of the world if I’m wrong. That along with meditation helped me know my worth isn’t tied up in what I do. I explained that in The Beautiful Game. I’m free to admit when I’m wrong.
However, there is another side to consider. What if I am falsely accused, as Peggy was in her scenario? I don’t have to be a people pleaser. Others are responsible for their own well being. I am responsible for my thoughts and actions. That helps with objectivity. I can honestly ask the question, who did what? It is a healthy way of managing accountability.
Freedom and responsibility go hand in hand. To be free, it’s important that I handle responsibility well. I understand people often run from accountability because they have issues with not being enough. Therefore, they often pass blame on to others. The condition is ubiquitous. To navigate this tumultuous flow of human nature I’ll continue to honestly ask myself, who did what? Nothing more complicated than perception.
May you have enough today, one moment at a time.
THIS HELPED ME 