“The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.” —Albert Ellis

One of the most freeing moments in my life was when I truly understood that every problem in my life was just that: my problem. While others might play a part in it, the problem couldn't exist or be my problem if I wasn't involved! It sounds quite simple, but we so often blame our problems on everyone else or some circumstance beyond our control. We often do this when our problems are big and scary, as we don’t know how to face them. The great news is that when we take ownership of a problem, we also inherit the power to problem solve. Instead of waiting at someone else’s mercy to fix things, we can take control and fix things ourselves.



Your Turn:
Are you taking responsibility for the problems in your life, or
are you still blaming them on others and waiting for a magic
solution? Man-made solutions will make you stronger than
magic solutions. Choose a problem and take ownership of it.
Then, begin to brainstorm how you can move forward. And
don’t just brainstorm: act. If you need help, do this in a group
to explore new ways of seeing the problem, fresh ideas, etc.
Odds are, everyone has a problem or two that could benefi t
from a fresh point of view.


Today’s Affirmation:
I am a professional problem-solver.