Personal Responsibility

By attempting to avoid responsibility for our own behavior, we are giving away our power to some other individual or organization. In this way, millions daily attempt to escape from freedom. - M. Scott Peck

It is important to teach our children to be responsible for their choices and their behavior. We do our children no favors by protecting them from the consequences of their choices. In being overprotective, we rob them of personal power. When we blame others we have given away the key to our own freedom.

Attitude

"The last of the human freedoms is to choose one's attitudes." - Victor Frankl

Frankl's famous book, From Death Camp to Existentialism is the elegant story of how he remained in charge of his attitude under the most trying circumstances. He learned that his captors could not control his attitude about his fate. He learned that he alone was in charge of his own attitude. Too often we complain that others have put us in a bad mood or ruined our day. This is an excuse.

Your right to be wrong

"Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life." - David M. Burns

Dr. Burns understands the importance of freedom from judgment. Too much concern over avoiding mistakes sucks the life from us and turns our souring creative impulses into a pile of dead leaves.