Live Like the Honey Badger: Principle 6

This is the sixth in a series of posts entitled, Live Like the Honey Badger. Every Friday, I address one aspect of developing confidence, self-worth, a fearless nature and the like. Previous weeks are linked below.

Principle 1: Honey Badger Don't Care
Principle 2: Accept Yourself. Your Whole Self
Principle 3: Surround Yourself With Honey Badgers
Principle 4: Break the Mold
Principle 5: It's Not Selfish. It's Self Fulfilling

Principle 6: It's Your Life. Take Responsibility.

Take a look at yourself.

Is something holding you back? Keeping you from reaching your goals? Stopping you from becoming a better, stronger you? Do you have a reason, better known as an excuse, as to why your life is the way it is? Are there outside forces holding you back? Or maybe circumstances that are out of your control?

Now, be honest.

How many of those barriers are legitimate? How many are honestly out of your control? And how many are really just the result of your inability to take responsibility for your choices, actions and disappointments?

I bet your list just got really short.

Now, I'm not saying that bad things don't happen to good people. Or that some individuals don't face more challenging circumstances than others. That just wouldn't be true.

What I am saying is that some people are better at working with the hand they are dealt. Some people see life's stumbling blocks as an opportunity to challenge themselves and to improve. Others see those same stumbling blocks as a reason to give up. Not because those difficulties are a true barrier, but because they choose to let them be.

You can't let your doubts, fears, weaknesses and excuses get in the way of you being the best version of yourself. If you want to live your dream life, then live it. No one is in control of your life, except for you.

You didn't become overweight because someone else made you.
You didn't adopt an unhealthy lifestyle because someone else made you.
You didn't lose your inner strength because someone else made you.
You didn't get to where you are today because someone else made you.

You are who you are because you chose to be that way. Even if you feel like someone or something else has had a negative effect on your life, you are still responsible for the way you are in this very moment because you chose how you would react to that negativity.

You can choose to be better. You can choose to tackle life's challenges head on. You can be everything you've ever wanted to be. Nothing is going to stop you but yourself.

It's your life. Take responsibility.