Practice: Abandoning Blame

This practice can be a very powerful tool for letting go of false beliefs about who or what controls our moods. We recommend you take this vow for at least one month, and repeat it aloud at the beginning of each day. If possible, let a few friends know about your vow so that they can help remind you if you seem to be slipping.
I pledge to stop blaming others for my negative states of mind.
I pledge to stop blaming circumstances for my negative states of mind.
Throughout the period of your vow, notice any irritability, anger, depression, bitterness that may arise in you, and look honestly at what you claim to be the source of it, which is usually someone else or something happening around you or to you. Remember the vow, and discard your false belief that such-and-such is bumming you out. Such-and-such does not have the power to bum you out. Take 100% responsibility for your negativity. If you continue to be sad or mad after letting others off the hook, that's okay, at least you know that it belongs to you, not to them. It's okay to have a down day. Just know that it is your own personal thing, not anyone else's (and strongly resist the temptation to make any important or dramatic decisions on that sort of day).
Your life will change tremendously if you sincerely work with this vow for a while. Stop yourself in mid-sentence if need be, but stop blaming anyone or anything for whatever may be going on inside of you. You will be amazed by how much peace and power are gained by abandoning all blame.