Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Responsibility vs. Blame














A number of women authors keep me honest about work-life balance--- or a phrase I prefer: work-life harmony-- and I am grateful for their sensitive, warm and humorous observations.

I've already written about my admiration for Patti Digh. I enjoy Jennifer Louden's writing and Victoria Moran's as well.

For about a month now, I've been attending to nutrition and exercise diligently and with good results, some behavioral and some physical. I'm losing weight like crazy, I'm working on the Couch to 5k program, and best of all, I feel so much more sane. I am happier, have more energy,and am far less prone to mood swings.

In one section of Moran's book, Fit From Within, she writes of the importance of taking responsibility rather than placing blame and the profound difference between saying, "I take responsibility for my life" versus "It's all my fault." I'm thinking a lot about those words as I consider my own habits, newly forming and reshaping, as well as the difference blame and responsibility have for our society and our world. At home, at work, in our communities of faith, in our interfaith conversations, in the political realm...oh, such a difference between responsibility and blame.

It's food for thought...and prayer...and dialogue.

Great graphic from here.

7 comments:

Jan said...

I so need inspiration to become more fit (and thinner). Thank you, Jennifer. This looks like another book I need--to live by. I really need a kick in the rear!

Ruth Hull Chatlien said...

She writes of the importance of taking responsibility rather than placing blame and the profound difference between saying, "I take responsibility for my life" versus "It's all my fault."

I think that's a healthy perspective that I could learn to apply in lots of areas.

Gannet Girl said...

I don't know any of these writers, and they all look fantastic.

Hot Cup Lutheran said...

interesting stuff... i picked up "life is a verb" & took it on vacation. dolcejava said something to me like, "babe... really you need to read a book on how to live life? put the book down and just live..." so i've been trying... and 'tis good. all good. less red meat... good. more walks, good. more art... sooo good.

*clap clap* bravo to you... for taking the plunge!

Terri said...

yay for you!

Diane M. Roth said...

oh, these sound so good! I have been spotty in my attention to good nutrition/diet, and it shows.

thanks for the wisdom you share!

Jan said...

I just got my used/new copy of "Fit from Within" today. Now that I just ate a bowl of dulce de leche ice cream, I'll look at the book! At least, the ice cream is almost all gone.