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6 OPINION DESERT MESSENGER Quartzsite s FREE Community Paper Founded by Walt Akin October 1, 2004 P�������� �� P���� R��� P��������� C�. P.O. Box 3185 Quartzsite, AZ 85359 P�������� ����� � ����� 1st & 3rd Wednesday Sept. thru May with Special Summer Editions June, July & August EDITOR/PUBLISHER Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear CONTRIBUTING JOURNALIST Joanne Winer GUEST COLUMNIST Louise Rouse GUEST COLUMNIST Jedidiah Free GUEST COLUMNIST The late Rosalee O Wheeler GUEST COLUMNIST Violet Kiss CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Starr BearCat NAME PLATE LETTERING Paul Winer www.DesertMessenger.com www.MyQuartzsite.com E-mail: Editor@DesertMessenger.com Copyright 2013 www.DesertMessenger.com EDITORIAL By Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear "In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility." ~Eleanor Roosevelt We've all know someone who continually have "bad things happen" in their lives. Limiting thinking cause some in our society to blame others for their circumstances. Falling prey to the victim mentality can be very addicting. We often witness some in our society continually asking, "why do bad things keep happening to me?" We all have bad things happen to us; that's life. But there are different ways of dealing with situations that life throws at us. The victim tends not to September 4, 2013 take responsibility for their actions, emotions, choices or even mistakes. However, he will gladly tell you why it's someone else's fault their lives are in disarray. Remember when we used excuses in our youth; "the dog ate my homework?" Often, we too, began to feel sympathic for them and wonder why "everyone is out to get them". Then we hear all the excuses why their lives are not going they way they would like. "The victim mindset dilutes the human potential. By not accepting personal responsibility for our circumstances, we greatly reduce our power to change them." ~Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience According to Path Partners, Victims can feel they have certain rights that the world owes them, and are disappointed or angry when the world doesn't deliver. They tend to feel very strongly about "their rights" and they way things should be done for them. Contrast this "in-bound" worldview Readership of free community papers is now higher than paid daily papers and continues to grow. And more than 70 percent of readers make their buying decisions from free paper advertising and editorial. Your free community paper, promoting connections at a local level – right under your nose. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Desert Messenger. FOLLOW US on Twitter @QuartzsiteRain 928-916-4235 928-916-4235 www.DesertMessenger.com Email: Copyright 2013 Taking reponsibility for our own life can be hard work, and implies making difficult decisions. But when we exercise that control, we can get on with life. As novelist Joan Didion once said, "The willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life is the source from which self-respect springs." Taking personal reponsibility is a must. We cannot change the circumstances around us or the weather, but we can change how we think and react to life. It is our choice. Blaming others serves only one purpose — making you feel like a victim. When you choose to be a victim, the world is a cold and harsh place. When women are raped, the term victim is used by the authorities, but rape and sexual abuse counselors are now changing victim to the more empowering term, "survivor". Changing our way of thinking of one word, changes how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. Survivors thrive, while victims blame. Looking for the negative in life also creates a victim mindset. Being able to change negative thoughts or thoughts of persecution to being grateful for the things in your life is a simple yet highly effective personal exercise. Think of 10 things you're grateful for each night before going to sleep. Many sexual abuse survivors focus on the Gratitude for the simple things in their life. Letting go of the past and being focused on what gifts we can share with the world takes the focus of the negative thinking process. Thoughts are very powerful. They can either help you or harm you. If we change our thoughts to focus on what is actually working in our lives, rather than focus on the negative, healing will take place. LIKE US on Facebook.com/ DesertMessengerNews Proud to be a Quartzsite Licensed Business with Peter Drucker, who discusses his life/work approach in "The Effective Executive." His focus is not "what can I get?", or even "what can I achieve?" but rather "what can I contribute?" Editor@DesertMessenger.com "You could Be Anywhere, Doing Anything, and You are Here Doing This, Thank You" ~ Robert Greygrass (thank you from me too!)