Personal responsibility
When Others Don’t perform
There will be times when other people will disappoint us.. either intentionally or because of indifference or incompetence.
If we have been counting on them, their nonperformance can cause us real anger and frustration.
Our growth however, should teach us that such failures are part of life. While never losing trust in others, we must accept them as fallible people. Their mistakes and lapses come from the human shortcomings all of us have.
Our best course is to live without expecting too much from others. They are not here to please or satisfy us. It’s possible, too, that we’ve been unrealistic in some of our expectations and have set ourselves up for disappointments.
Our personal responsibility is to do our best even when others fall short of our expectations. At the same time, we can grow by becoming more reliable and dependable ourselves.
We cannot use another’s failure as an excuse for negligence on our part.
Affirmation:
Today I’ll expect the best, but I will know that I also have the spiritual resources to deal with the worst that can happen.
R 
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Thanks Rod for sharing on the topic of responsibility.
As a practicing alcoholic irresponsibilty was one of my major character defects evident in most areas of my life (family, work, friends, money, etc). At times in sobriety being responsible has continued to give me problems although not nearly as bad as when drinking….thank God and the 12 steps and traditions! My 1st sponsor (Al H. in Prince George) told all his sponsees who were not working to be responsible…. get a lunch bucket and get a job asap.
When drinking the obsession to drink put all my responsibilities on the back burner until I was done drinking on any given day. As a daily drinker I was too sick and hungover the next day to carry out my responsibilities and besides I needed a drink first to feel better. And so the viscious daily cycle started again. Looking back that was almost always the case. No wonder I had trouble getting anything done. I had to be in a crisis situation to be motivated to be responsible.
Then I came to AA and I was taught to be responsible. Procrastination was out of the question. My sponsor ensured that I understood the responsibility statement of AA. ” I am responsible, when anyone (alcoholic) reaches out for help, I want the hand of AA to be there and for that I am responsible”.
These lessons were extreemly hard to learn for this selfish and self centered alcoholic. I was taught that in order to keep what I had (contented sobriety and serenity) I had to give it all away. Now that is a tall order for any alcoholic!
I am so grateful for AA as it has saved my life and given me a way of life beyond my wildest expectations. I would have sold myself short has guessed 22 years ago what my life would be like today.
Speaking of 22 years I would like to invite all of you come and celibrate the miracle of AA in my life at 8 PM on Wednesday March 28,2112 in Oliver, BC. Cake and maybe ice cream will be served and for that I am responsible.
Thanks for the part you have played in my sobriety.
Mike B.