Top Example of Self-Responsibility

Today, I’m sharing some typically wise thoughts from Eeva Lancaster, owner of the Google+ community, Alliance of Self-Published Authors. This tough cookie has overcome a load of personal trauma.

Actually, a better way to describe her is “an iron fist in a velvet glove”. No, she’s not the late Margaret Thatcher. She is one of my two social media/self-publishing mentors.

Eeva mixes breath-catching, no-nonsense bluntness with a rare self-sacrificing nature. 

She’s a gem without compare. The more you give, the more she gives. She made banners for my book. She also set up this website. That was a huge job for which she charged relatively little.

In addition, she constantly gives me tips on anything related to self-publishing. Her new website, The Book Khaleesi (banner on my sidebar) is a one-stop shop for anything related to writing, design, and formatting. Really, you can’t beat it!

On to Eeva’s unparalleled, unedited thoughts…

I dont believe in status quo actually, in one second EVERYTHING can change. The question I ask myself is, how much of what's happening to me is with my permission.... and during those times when I find myself being blown here and there like a leaf, with no control, like when my ma died and I started shedding hair, the next question I ask myself is, how are you gonna deal with that? So it all boils down to, YOU again. 

Happiness, sadness, these things are all in our head. The thoughts we nurture every single second. And it's not easy to control thoughts that stem from emotions, but at least we should be aware of where the thoughts are coming from. It's easy to get carried away. Like now, i'm writing this, cause I woke up and felt sad, so I decided that I'll be sad for a couple of hours. Why not? 

Nothing wrong with being sad. I have valid reasons. Now, wallowing and allowing myself to go deeper into depression is another story. It's tempting, but no.

My point is, **** happens. Things may not go the way we planned. But how we deal with them makes all the difference. Change what you can, and when you can't... change your self. You, you can control, right? :) That's what I'd like to think.

My Conclusion

My good friend Eeva can be compared to a palm tree. During a hurricane, my mentor doesn’t break or fall. She only grows deeper roots and bends with the winds; then, she comes out stronger. Her philosophy can be described as the antithesis of the entitlement/victim mentality so prevalent today:

• Everything IS our responsibility, not someone else’s. 
• We DO have the power to change our lives by altering our way of thinking. 
• Only WE can motivate ourselves to improve.

Eeva’s attitude is not new; it’s just rare. There are many historical and biblical examples of self-determination, such as Job. Every case is an inspiration to us all.

How have you taken charge of your own thoughts lately?