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Q. What does 'taking ownership of my life' mean?
A. It is the opposite of believing that life just happens to you. It means that you know that you cause all that happens to and for you in your life. This includes the good, the bad, the beautiful, and the ugly. When you take ownership of your life, you behave as if your life is a responsibility, and you hold yourself accountable for all that occurs.
Q. How will life be when I live from this place?
A. You will stop blaming others (no blaming yourself, either) for the negative results in your life. Also you will stop giving other people credit that is rightfully yours when things go well. You learn to receive as well as give. You allow yourself to be nurtured and loved as you become more loving of others.
Q. Can you give me an example?
A. Between 1977 and early 1979, while driving alone in my car, I was rear-ended four different times. That's a lot of being banged around! Each time I came away without serious injury; each time the scenarios were such that there was no possible way that these accidents were my fault.
At the end of 1979 I attended my first experiential workshop (some of you may know 'Lifespring') and found myself telling this story to 150 people when we were asked to share one of our 'victim' stories.
I described the last of these accidents in great detail: I was on a one-way street in the right lane - very close to the curb with cars in front of me as well as beside me. Up came this guy behind me, and instead of hitting his brake - he hit his gas pedal. It's easy to imagine the rest. He hit me, and I hit the woman in front of me, and on and on. How in the world could this be anything but someone else's fault??
After telling my sad story, the facilitator asked me two questions I'd never been asked before, "Is it possible that the universe (your wise self) was trying to get your attention each time a car hit you from behind? If so, what message was it trying to send you?"
My response was to deny, argue about, and resist knowing what later became apparent to me: My physical body was being used by my wise self (universal wisdom) to give me a wake-up call. My spiritual messengers had taken the forms of the drivers who rear-ended me. It was past time (four accidents ago would have been on time) for me to begin my conscious journey of personal growth.
By the time it was over I understood very clearly that the workshop had been the first step on my personal growth journey - a journey that has continued until this day and one that becomes more exciting as I grow older. From that day until this one, I have not been involved in a car accident of any kind. I learned well that when I trip, or get sick, or cut my finger, or stub my toe, I grimace in pain, wait until I remember that I created the situation, and then ask myself, "What lesson am I to learn from this?"
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