November 07-The Blame Game

“We have two choices: continue to blame the world for our stress, or take responsibility for our own reactions and deliberately change our emotional climate.” Doc Childre and Howard Martin, Heartmath Solution

Rather quickly, after losers lose, the name calling, mud slinging and blame game starts.  Blame is a funny thing. It can be assigned to anything at anytime and to anyone. Blaming anyone or anything for one’s own loss or circumstances is a dangerous and ultimately destructive game to be partake in.

It’s true the world can look as if circumstances are beyond our control. And indeed, some are. The world condition, lack of food, natural disasters and war are all unfortunate yet uncontrolable aspects of life. There are those more fortunate and those less fortunate.  We can mindlessly play the blame game, or we can work, in our own ways, to improve what we can. Donating to a shelter or a food bank or helping a family in need are all ways we can do what we can.

The music world is an easy place to place blame. You aren’t successful because a competitor has better equipment, or a more interesting stage appearance or a record label.  You blame your lack of shows on your agent or your manager or the economy.  We blame parents for encouraging our soccer playing siblings but not us in our dreams and endeavors.  We watch years of hard work and effort slip slowly down the drain, as we make poor choices in relationships and bad decisions about money.  We can indeed blame the world for our failure.

We do have another choice. The decision to proactively seek to be content. To know we are where we are for a reason. We deliberately chose our emotional climate every second of every day. We choose to be happy, reasonable, and hopeful people or we chose to blame, hate and rail against life and living.

As a person who plays music you are uniquely in tune with inspiration, joy and accomplishment. Don’t allow the dark clouds of blame to block you from the pure light of creation that is yours.