"It's Not My Fault!" -

 Idiot Compassion & Personal Responsibility



In Buddhist practice there is the idea of idiot compassion.  Idiot compassion is, in its simplest form, when you enable someone to not hit rock bottom and pay the price for their behaviors and choices - even when it would be in their best interest to hit rock bottom.  An example might be a drug addict whose family continues to give them money and to catch them before the addict ahs to pay the price for their behaviors.  There are times when the greatest compassion is to do what might appear, to some, to be an act that lacks compassion.

One of the greatest cries that can be heard in our modern culture is that "its not my fault".  This is often an abdication of personal responsibility.  There might be things that occur in our lives that are not our fault - that seemingly occur despite anything we believe we could have done to avoid them.

It is more useful for achieving our goals and living a more dynamic and self-directed life if we choose the approach of radical responsibility.  Although it might be painful, look at each of your life circumstances starting today and tell yourself for each one: "I have created this circumstance that I am experiencing in my life.  It is what it is, and I accept that.  Having accepted the facts of the situation as they currently present themselves, and having accepted the idea that I have created what I am experiencing - how do I know alter the circumstances of my life to something more pleasing to me?"

Ask the above sincerely, and closely listen for the answers that present themselves to your consciousness.  Don't try to impose and alter the answers that might present themselves to you.  Keep yourself open.  Look at the world around you and see what might present itself to you.

When you sincerely ask for direction, the universe will present you with direction - if you are open to receiving that direction.  You can miss it if you are not careful and you can misinterpret it if you put too much of your ego in the way.  Remain open and be honest with yourself.  Radical responsibility for your life includes being responsible for seeking direction and accepting or not accepting that direction.  You might want to scream "its not my fault".  Do your best to hold back from giving yourself to that belief.  It is empowering, and far more useful, to take the stance that you create all that you experience in your life - and that you have the power to make the choice of what you will experience.  Begin today.  Begin right now.  Your life is in your control.