Humanity has given rise to many talented artists, musicians, and architects, but how many of us have mastered the art of creating a happy moment — for ourselves and those around us?
Thich Nhat Hanh
What does it take to create a beautiful and happy moment for ourselves and others? You’ve done it before, so you know the answer. Think about a moment, a happy moment, you created for someone. Now think about a moment you created for yourself. What did you do to create those moments?
One thing is for certain. In that simple, beautiful moment, you directed your energies toward a particular set of actions that were designed to delight a particular person. You harnessed your ability to imagine something better and then you directed your energy, actions, and resources to manifest it.
In simple terms, you took responsibility.
In our current series, Know Thyself: The Journey into Self Discovery, we’re considering what it means to live a responsible life. We tend to think of “taking responsibility” as an action after the fact. We do something, good or bad, and then take responsibility for it. But what if taking responsibility is the way to action, not just the owning of it after? What if responsibility is our ability to imagine something better and then bring that into being?
We tend to think of “taking responsibility” as an action after the fact. We do something, good or bad, and then take responsibility for it. But what if taking responsibility is the way to action, not just the owning of it after? What if responsibility is our ability to imagine something better and then bring that into being?
Today is another chance to imagine a better moment and then direct your energies into that moment to make it a reality. It may or may not turn out the way you imagined. But that is not the point. As the Gita teaches: take responsibility for your actions but never for the fruit of those actions. The outcome is beyond our control. But in some small way we may be able to influence the moment through imagination and directed energy.
Week two of Know Thyself explores that journey into personal responsibility.