“I am in charge of my own life. I take responsibility for filling my life with what nourishes my health and happiness.”--Jan Veltman

“The buck stops here” was a sign President Harry Truman kept on his desk while In the Oval Office. It meant that he accepted the responsibility for making the final decision.
No sending it further “up the line.” No blaming the outcome on someone else.
But when it comes to our life choices—how we behave, how we treat others as well as ourselves—we have become geniuses at “passing the buck.”
When we act in a way that is less than admirable, how often have we said “But he/she made me so mad I just couldn’t help myself!”
When we ignore another’s needs in favor of our own wants, we often justify our actions by saying someone else will do it: put the money in the Salvation Army kettle, give up the bus seat for an elderly person, cast a ballot on election day.
As for assuming responsibility for those acts that hurt no one but ourselves, once again we look for someone—anyone!—to blame for our decision to abuse alcohol or drugs, to be unfaithful to our partner, to choose self-indulgence over self-care.
Tempting as it can be to “pass the buck,” doing so calls to mind another famous quote, this one from the cartoon character Pogo: “We have met the enemy and he is us.”
Each day, we have two choices: be our own worst adversary or be our greatest ally.
It’s all about making choices and accepting the responsibility for the outcome of those choices. If we are willing to do this, we will act in a more nurturing, loving and respectful way—to ourselves and to the people in our lives.