Embracing 100% responsibility- this post is inspired by the teachings of Jack Canfield, co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul and author of The Success Principles. His work reminds us of many powerful lessons, the most prominent being that it’s never too late to create a life you truly love.
No matter where you’re standing today, you can change your life and begin your healing journey right now, from this very moment, as you’re reading this. It all starts with one simple but life-changing idea.
You Can Begin Anytime
It doesn’t matter if you’re 18 or 80.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve failed a hundred times before.
It doesn’t matter if you feel stuck, scared or overwhelmed.
Today can be the first day of a completely different life.
And what will be the first step to doing this?
The first step is to decide to learn something new right now, something that could flip a switch inside you forever.
The best part? That once you follow your new instinct with full faith and consistency, the results can be life-changing, positive and permanent.
The Real Secret to Success
The biggest game-changer is this belief:
You must take 100% responsibility for your life.
Not 50%, not 80%, not “I’ll take responsibility after they apologize”, but full, complete ownership.
This includes everything:
⭐ Your happiness
⭐ Your health
⭐ Your relationships
⭐ Your finances
⭐ Your habits
⭐ Your results
And yes, even the things that feel unfair or cause you to feel irritated or triggered.
Most of us have been conditioned to blame- blaming parents, teachers, bosses, the economy, and even “bad luck.”
But Jack reminds us: Blaming gives your power away. Owning it gives your power back.
So the next time you feel irritated, instead of blaming others, pause and ask yourself,
“What really triggered me to react so harshly?”
No matter how much your mind insists it’s someone else’s fault, be wise and take ownership of it as it’s happening in your life and something within you has attracted this external event.
Once you sit down and reflect, you’ll discover your actual triggers- not the imagined or assumed ones, but the real ones. Recognizing them is a major step in itself as the next time something similar happens, your mind will gently remind you to respond differently instead of reacting the same old way.
Do this five or six times and you’ll begin to break the cycle by planting a new, healthier pattern in your mind.
E + R = O: The Formula That Changes Everything
Jack Canfield shares a simple formula:
E + R = O
(Event + Response = Outcome)
He emphasizes that while we can’t control all the events in our lives, what is completely within our control is how we respond to them and it’s that response that ultimately shapes the outcome.
Let’s look at a few examples to understand this better.
Example 1:
✅ Event: Your flight gets canceled.
➡️ Instant Response: You get angry, shout at the airline staff and feel miserable.
♻️ Different Response: You take a moment to process the news, then calmly rebook your flight, grab a coffee and enjoy a moment of stillness.
The experience you walk away with depends entirely on you.
Example 2:
✅ Event: Your friend forgets your birthday.
➡️ Response: You feel hurt, sad and distant.
♻️ Different Response: You call them, laugh it off and plan a fun day together.
Example 3:
✅ Event: You get negative feedback at work.
➡️ Response: You become defensive and start criticizing your manager.
♻️ Different Response: You choose to listen, learn from it and grow.
Every time you choose your response wisely and from a broader perspective, you create better outcomes, both in small and significant ways.
Choosing a New Response
Starting today, you can respond differently to whatever life throws at you.
⭐ You can choose to stay calm instead of snapping.
⭐ You can choose to learn instead of getting stuck in shame.
⭐ You can choose action instead of excuses.
It doesn’t matter what patterns you lived by yesterday- today, you can write a completely new story.
Every small choice you make sends ripples into the future.
Even if fear, bad habits or old stories held you back before, they don’t have to define your next step.
Know that your new version is just one step away- a version that is happy, content, loved and worthy.
A Quick Exercise You Can Try Today
Think of one area of your life you’re not fully happy with- it might be your finances, health, career or a relationship.
Now ask yourself these questions:
⁉️ How have I created, contributed to, or allowed this situation?
⁉️ What truths am I avoiding?
⁉️ Is there a hidden “reward” for staying stuck (like getting sympathy, indulging in unhealthy habits or avoiding hard work)?
⁉️ What would I rather be experiencing instead?
⁉️ What new actions could I take starting today to shift this positively?
⁉️ When will I take that action?
Real-Life Example:
Jack Canfield once found himself overwhelmed by thousands of unread emails.
He realized he was allowing the situation by blaming “the digital world” and “ having not enough hours to go through them all.”
His new response?
⭐ He unsubscribed from non-essential newsletters.
⭐ He scheduled 30 minutes a day with his assistant to clean up his inbox.
⭐ He stuck with it and over time, the mountain of emails shrank.
Similarly, if your mornings are always chaotic and rushed, instead of blaming your job or traffic, you could respond by setting your alarm 30 minutes earlier and preparing your clothes and lunch the night before.
Small shift = big difference.
A conscious shift in response can completely change how you perceive the same situation and resolve it for the future.
You Are the Captain Now
Taking 100% responsibility doesn’t mean blaming yourself or feeling guilty.
It means owning your power.
It means saying:
✅ “I create my results.”
✅ “I choose my reactions.”
✅ “I’m not a victim. I’m the captain.”
It all begins with you. The moment you start building high self-worth is the moment you raise your energy to attract positive experiences into your life.
You hold the power to move mountains. And when you start living this way- even a little at a time, you’ll notice that life will also start responding to you differently.
Now tell me, what’s one small action you can take today to own your power a little more?
Write it down. Share it here in the comments.
And most importantly- DO IT!
Remember, you don’t have to be perfect. You just have to start.
And start today- don’t wait for tomorrow.
Here’s to becoming the person you were truly meant to be, one conscious choice at a time. ❤️
