Owning Your Self

Chapter 1

Pride of Ownership

Take this challenge.  Drive down through any residential neighborhood and see if you can spot houses lived in by the owners and those that are rental properties.  Not much of a challenge, is it?

You can tell the difference between the houses that people live in and those houses that show the special look of pride.  The houses of the owner-resident are a base of operation, a sanctuary, and a place for them and their family to grow and thrive.  That connection is reflected in how well each house is taken care of… in the “Pride of Ownership!”

Now, take a good look at your life.  Look at your body, your mind, your heart and self.  How well are you taking care of all these areas? 

We all have said or heard someone say things like, “They are driving me crazy”, “He/She makes me so angry”, or “It’s all the (insert your saying here)’s fault.”

Is that truly what happens?  Are we at the mercy of those outside forces that we have no control over, to determine how we feel about things each and every moment of our lives?  Are we victims to the whims and whimsies of others doomed to be “played like fiddles” by all the mood manipulators that surround us? 

I choose not to be manipulated… and so can you!

While it is easy to look at situations and put the blame on someone or something has having affected us beyond our control, the truth is no one has access to our inner mind but us.  No one else resides inside of us.  There is no one else at the controls.  There are no eerie cosmic rays that affect the judgment center of our brain (at least, not that we know of.)  All of our feelings, all of our reactions, all of our beliefs, all of our attitudes are fully owned and operated by each of us alone.  We are in charge of our beliefs, our attitudes and through this right of ownership; we have the ability to do something about them.

If we look at things as if someone else has the power to make our emotional choices for us, then they … and only they … have the ability to change how we feel.  Since it is true most people are too busy dealing with their own issues to concern themselves with our plight, the chances of them changing our emotional state for us is rather slight.

Are you a “renter” or an “Owner?”  There is a truism, that there is no one who can truly take care of you but you! The reason for this is that no one else knows you, but you.  There is no one living your life, but you.  You are the owner of your mind, your thoughts, your decisions, and your emotions.  As the owner you have the right and the obligation to operate yourself in the best manner for you.  It’s your life, so live your life like you own it… because you do!