Privilege of Responsibility

(This blog was originally posted on July 9, 2014)

    Last year, Honda® issued a recall notice for several models of their vehicles sold in California because there is a defect in the air-bag/air-bag deployment. I am sure that this announcement is probably frustrating and frightening for owners of these vehicles. In addition to their concern that the problem may endanger their and their passengers’ lives before the car goes in for service, needing to get this repair done is probably an inconvenience (and stress) they could do without. Welcome to the world of having to take responsibility for and taking care of the things we own. 

      Responsibility follows us everywhere we go. If we want to drive a car, we need to have a driver’s license and car insurance. We need to be responsible drivers by following the rules (laws) of the road and making sure that our vehicles are safe and serviceable. We need to make sure that we have enough gas to get us where we need to go and regularly check the car’s oil/brakes/tire-pressure.

      The same is true if you own a home. When a water pipe breaks or a toilet overflows, it is up to you to repair the problem or call someone to do it for you. You may need to repaint the outside of the house or replace the shingles on the roof from time to time, to ensure you will be protected from the elements during inclement weather. If you own a lot of land, you are responsible for cutting down weeds or tall grasses and trimming dead branches off trees to safeguard your property from fires (and reduce fire hazards).

      

     Responsibilities multiply quickly when you take care of other people or animals in your family, and they can be overwhelming. Rather than consider them in terms of “work” you need to do, try this to lighten your load: turn your thoughts into attitudes of appreciation or gratitude that you have these privileges in your life. Lisa Machenberg, an instructor at the Hypnosis Motivation Institute, shared this insight (attitude-shift) with my class during a case conference many years ago. Acknowledging and expressing gratitude for something you “must do” not only symbolically pay for the privilege of having that object in your life; this new perspective actually adds relief or even joy to doing that activity. You or I would go right to the doctor to set our (or our child’s) broken leg, or call a veterinarian if one of our pets was sick. We probably wouldn’t even think twice about doing this, either, because the physical comfort of setting the bone would equal the emotional relief of knowing that this procedure, while temporarily uncomfortable, will prevent future inconvenience down the road. 

      When we change that mental script in our subconscious mind from owning and maintaining (“when necessary”) something to a script which values, cherishes and takes care of that object, we start to appreciate its true worth. A car isn’t just a car: it is the equivalent of a magical carriage that literally carries us and/or our family to a specific destination and makes sure we reach it safely. The house or apartment in which we live isn’t just a structure but the home that provides shelter from inclement elements and safety from perceived threats. It is the place where we have made (and keep) our favorite memories, and will make many more.

    

I am grateful for the opportunity to give the people and home I adore, and the car and other objects in my life that make my life so convenient, a little (or a lot) of tender, loving care when they need it. In fact, it is a privilege to do this. After all, where would I be without them?

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

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