Are you part of the problem or the solution? Do you accept responsibility for your own actions? Or is it better to play victim?

No matter how you see yourself, you can only be responsible for half of a relationship - your half. If other people are toxic, get rid of them. Lethal people will only increase your burden.

It is one thing to be optimistic, but you can only be optimistic about what you can control. Do not blame your circumstances and ending noxious relationships is in your control. Misery loves company. That is a great reason to get away from them.

Much of the pent-up demand in real estate is from people who do not like their home. That drives demand and prices.

Covid-19 has 2 lessons. 1st, you better like your home where you are spending an inordinate amount of time either locked down or working from home.

2nd, you have be able to get along with your spouse, roommate, business partner, significant other or whoever you share the same roof. Many divorces occur because people see too much of one another.

If you are not happy with your life it means that you refuse to accept responsibility for your role. Blame others all you want. You cannot “fix” them, only yourself.

Pay attention, victims. No one is coming to save you. Your life is 100% your responsibility regardless of who you blame. What price are you willing to pay? Be sure the solution is not worse than the problem.

Taking responsibility means you seek solutions to fix what is wrong. Irresponsible individuals blame others, institutional or systematic injustice. But you do not have to be a victim.

Elections teach us lessons. We must live with the results and consequences of who was elected and why they were put into office.

Each week, I enjoy the privilege of being ballboy for varsity, JV and freshmen players at St. Cloud High School, where my son Cory is a coach. In watching teenage football players, you see where they make bad decisions that cost their team the game.

My old high school coach in Lexington, J.W. Ingram, used to say, “Every play is designed to go for a touchdown.”

In reality it rarely happens.

The players I see that advance from week-to-week are those who take ownership of their mistakes. Those leaders accept responsibility and hold themselves accountables. It is how they learn and get better.

It all starts with choosing your relationships wisely and avoiding toxic people who want to blame others for their problems.

Michael Aun was selected by his peers as a member of the CPAE® Speakers Hall of Fame in 2000.