This is the last post for the year 2020, so as we prepare ourselves for the New Year we must stop blaming others and take accountability for what we do. I was in a traffic accident once and was cited for following too close. At that time I blamed the other driver for causing the collision (blaming others). The other driver changed lanes directly in front of me. My thinking was that had she not changed lanes the accident probably would not have happened. The reality is that I caused the accident by following too close. Now, at this stage of my life, I know the importance of accepting blame and I take responsibility for the part I played in causing the accident.
While surfing the web one day I stumbled upon an article about a woman by the name of Nannie Helen Burroughs who was born on May 2, 1879. Ms. Burroughs was an educator, businesswoman, and activist. She wrote and published an article entitled “The 12 Things That the Negro Must Learn to Do for Self”. I would like to reference some of the twelve things that Ms. Burroughs mentioned. The following are things she said that I find most relevant in the world we live in today. She said, “We must learn to put first things first: EDUCATION, DEVELOPMENT of CHARACTER, A SKILL and HOME OWNERSHIP”. She went on to say that we put much of our earnings in clothing, shows, and what we call “A GOOD TIME”. We buy what we want and beg for what we need. This was true in the 1800s and also holds true today. Further, Ms. Burroughs stated that we must stop expecting GOD and WHITE FOLK to do for us what we can do for ourselves. Additionally, she noted that it is the “Divine PLAN” that the strong shall help the weak, but even GOD does not do for man what man can do for himself.
Again I find that her words were true then and remain relevant today. We must enter the New Year knowing that all things are possible. However, there is no way you can achieve greatness when you blame others. You must take charge of your wellbeing. Ms. Burroughs spoke of education, character, homeownership, and skills as vehicles to achieve success. In past blogs, we have discussed some of the same concepts and ideas. We will continue to inform and disseminate information to encourage our readers to act on things like home ownership, investing, and business ownership. I encourage all reading this blog to not continue to repeat bad habits. Make a personal pledge to stop blaming others and start taking responsibility to work towards manifesting the greatness in you.
Happy New Year to all. Start the New Year by adopting a new attitude. My prayer is that you will be blessed with the gift of achievement in the New Year. Please give us a thumbs up, a like, a share, and subscribe. We need your support so that we can empower, encourage, inspire, and inform others.
Marvin Dixon/Founder
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