There was no chain or railing as we sat on top of a 14 storey temple in Tikal. You could easily go over the edge. It was a long ways down. You didn´t see a chain across the exit on the boat going to Santiago so you could with one false step go straight into the water. There wasn´t a life jacket in sight to save you. There were no DANGER or CAUTION signs at the Castle in Rio Dulce as you clambered up and down narrow stairs, or maneuvered around giant holes in the floor. Yet kids were having the time of their life pretending they were pirates just like in the old days.
Like many developing countries, Guatemala is not big on safety warnings – at any level. As a matter of fact, I can´t remember the last time I heard a mother say “Be careful” to their child. Children run and play, fall and get hurt and learn pretty darn quickly what causes them pain. Older children watch out for the little ones to a degree but even a two year old here has figured out that the fire is hot.
It´s a whole different world in North America. The average child has heard the word “no” 60,000 times before they reach the age of 5. “Be careful” is a mother´s mantra. As children grow up, they learn to expect others to warn them, watch out for them and be responsible for their future. When the government fails to pay; the employer lays them off without notice; or the company doesn´t provide adequate legal disclaimers such as “the coffee is hot”, - it´s not their fault. Victimhood is at pandemic proportions.
Given a choice, I prefer the developing country mentality on this one. I´ve lived in both worlds now – 4 years in Ecuador, 2 years in Mexico and now the last 3 months in Guatemala. I´d say we have a lot to learn from their attitude about taking responsibility. There isn´t a lawyer on every corner, people don´t talk about suing anybody and everybody and there isn´t a lot of blame going on.
No, in this country, you work for what you get, you take responsibility for bettering your life and country and you make the best of your life, always grateful for what you have. Not a bad attitude for everyone to adopt.
It´s easy to make excuses for why you don´t have what you want. Of course, you can blame the economy, the family responsibilities, the weather, the government, the clients, the lack of time and the poor health. There is a list as long as one´s arm twenty times over about why life isn´t working.
But what if there was just one place to look for the problem AND the solution for everything in your life? Wouldn´t that be a whole lot less exhausting than having a never-ending list of accomplices to blame?
Whenever I am not happy with something in my life and there are still some areas that I am working to improve, I come back to a simple question: What do I want to do differently in the future?
For example, let´s say that you aren´t making the kind of mo.n.ey you want to make. Maybe that´s $75,000, a 6-figure-income or becoming a millionaire for you – just think about how much mo.n.ey you REALLY want to make. No excuses, no compromises, no justification – just honesty.
Now admit that whatever reasons you have going through your head about why you haven´t created this level of income is entirely 100% your responsibility. No blame, no guilt, just 100% responsibility and acknowledgement. You might even say out loud to yourself, “I am 100% responsible for the financial prosperity that I have created to date.”
Next, you want to take 100% responsibility for the financial prosperity that you wish to create. So you might say something along the lines of: “I am 100% responsible for the financial prosperity (wealth, riches, mo.n.e.y) that I wish to create and that amount of mo.n.ey is ….”and fill in the blank with that amount of money.
That is your mantra for the future. YOU are 100% responsible. Period. Full stop. End of discussion. Once you have accepted 100% responsibility for creating your wealth, your health, your career, your relationships, your beautiful home, your spiritual life or your next vacation, life changes dramatically.
With the acceptance of this responsibility usually comes the question: But what if I can´t change something like my best friend´s negativity, my arthritis or the weather? How do I take 100% responsibility for that?
It´s easy. Most things can be changed. You can change friends, cure your arthritis or move to better weather. I´m totally serious. You can change just about anything in your life, except maybe your height. Anything else can be changed. Honest. Even genetics.
However, one of the easiest thing to change is your perception of anything and everything. So is your best friend negative or is she reaching out for help in the best way that she knows how? Is your arthritis really incurable or is it a great excuse for not moving ahead in your life? Is the weather really all that bad or are you tired, overdue for a day off, some fun or a vacation?
Change your perception or change your life. But it is 100% your responsibility every time and in every case. There are absolutely no exceptions on this in my life. Seems tough for some but honestly, this attitude is what creates the level of happiness I have in my life and the ability to deal with what comes my way. Not much flusters me, not much takes me out of the game of life. It´s pretty stable, even-keeled and balanced. My life is amazingly creative, joyful and ever-expanding. If someone asked me my secret to an amazing life, this would be it.
100% responsibility. How does that feel for you?
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