As humans, you cannot live free unless you accept responsibility for living the way you choose.
Since you cannot control what others say and do, it is up to you to take personal responsibility for how you interact with the world around you. It is your responsibility to better yourself, to maintain your home and be personally responsible for your own life.
Achieving The Best Possible You
Personal responsibility and self-reliance go hand in hand. One cannot be achieved without the other. For example:
- You are the sum of the events that have shaped your life and the choices you have made.
Life is filled with so many unknown factors you cannot either predict or change.
It is best to focus on what you can predict and change – your choices.
Daily, you are responsible for making seemingly insignificant choices for example, eating a healthy breakfast instead of fast food, watching the news instead of watching America’s Funniest Home Videos, etc.
You are also responsible for being the best person you can be.
Look inside of yourself; determine what really matters to you (Art? Finance? Family?) and let that be the springboard for your future choices.
- You are, in essence, your own personal world – you have no choice but to reside in your body and remain in your head, so you might as well take care of your body and make your mind a peaceful place to live.
It is your responsibility to constantly
- better ourselves,
- learn,
- challenge your beliefs and abilities, and
- question the world around you.
No one else can choose who you are or what you want to be; it is your duty to be the best possible version of you.
If you are not happy with yourself then most other things in life are rendered inconsequential. It is your duty to become the person you want to be. And while there are always those who can help us down this path, personal responsibility is the first step toward self-reliance and true happiness.
Maintain Your Home and Family
One of the greatest ways to a happy, healthy and self-reliant life is through our homes. Our homes should be:
- Places of peace and refuge
- Where one spends time with family
- Facilitating relaxation and engagement in self-improvement
If you’re being swallowed by debt or live in a messy, uncomfortable home then none of these things are possible.
Personal Responsibility in Finance
Debt can be a serious burden and impact your ability to be self-reliant. But thinking only of money can be just as harmful. Personal responsibility, as well as self-reliance, derives from your ability to be able to be balance all aspects of your lives. In order to achieve self-reliance you must be able to:
- Set up a plan to pay off all your debts
- Maintain the home and vehicles
- Spend time with family
If you think of your house and think of only the money you owe on it then it can hardly be a sanctuary – make smart financial decisions so your home truly is your own private, peaceful kingdom.
Your relationships with those close to you are more important than money, but you must consider your finances as well.
Let your sustainable lifestyle, happy family and well-maintained home be an inspiration to others. It is your responsibility to set a good example and live a life you are proud of.
Personal responsibility is about much more than choosing what to eat in the morning. In essence, it is about taking responsibility for being the person you choose to be, choosing to maintain our investments and relationships, and choosing to make a positive impact on the world around us. The first step toward self-reliance is personal responsibility.
Alan Brady is a real estate and financial enthusiast who loves to blog about personal finance, renting, home ownership and responsible practices.
