Responsibility is what we choose to do to have integrity.
Please reflect and share. How does this play out for you?
We all have responsibilities. Some come with our jobs and our roles as spouses or parents. Others relate to our place in society and our relationships to family and friends. A few are non-negotiable like child care or job duties, but most are obligations we take on because we feel we “should” do certain things. Our “should” reasons may arise from societal norms, the expectations of others, or our own sense of what is right.
This leaves most of what we see as responsibilities as actually being choices. We choose to care for an aging parent, to volunteer at our child’s school, to help a friend move, etc. And these are all worthy activities, but it also helps us to be clear that they are choices rather than actual obligations.
Sometimes we will fulfill a “should” responsibility and resent the time and effort involved. This is a clue that we may wish to re-examine our sense of obligation around the activity. It will be healthier for us to either drop the associated resentment (which may arise from emotional baggage) or skip the activity going forward.
Today’s message advises me that other than legal or contractual obligations, my only real responsibility is to be true to myself. This implies acting in integrity with my personal beliefs. Should this cause inner conflict, I will wish to review my beliefs to ensure they are healthy, realistic, and appropriate for me. I am responsible for honoring my beliefs and finding joy in what I do in life.
How about you? How do you view your responsibilities?