Self-Sacrifice vs. Self-Responsibility

Jill deemed herself ultra-responsible. Anyone could count on her. She always stayed late at the office to help out a colleague or finish the project deadline. Jill charged up the success ladder and was rewarded well for her ambitions. All seemed good….

Until she realized, her friends never answered her calls to go out for dinner. She recognized she bailed on the last 10 invites. Jill even skipped holidays with family to crank out the big projects. Over the years, Jill gained excessive weight, her joints hurt, she felt like she was going through early Alzheimer’s even though she was only 40. She looked and felt older than she actually was. She felt lethargic, exhausted, and no longer had the zest for life.

One night late at work, her fingers suddenly felt numb. She got concerned and called 911. Jill was having a mini-stroke. She was lucky to catch it in time and recover from it without severe loss of function. While recuperating in the hospital, Jill realized she always sacrificed her own well-being for that of everyone else. While she considered herself very responsible, she took zero responsibility for her own life.

Jill began a 90 day campaign called Self-Responsibility. Everyday, she would do something for herself. Some days she strolled through a park. Other days she cooked healthy meals for her network of friends. Jill regained her zest for life and planned her first vacation in years. Jill decided that if she wanted to make an impact on the world, she could only do this if she had more energy and zest in her life. Jill took responsibility for her own life and made it a priority instead of putting it on the back burner.

Self-responsibility leads to greater joy, aliveness, and engagement in life.

Where in your life do you self-sacrifice vs take self-responsibility?

What can you change today to take more self-responsibility?

What’s on your bucket list? How can you make one item on your bucket list happen in the next 90 days?

Wishing you an abundant, joyful and prosperous day!