The Cold, Sharp Knife Edge of Accountability

There is so much advice at your fingertips on how to become your best self, lose those unwanted pounds, stop stressing and start living, get your career into high gear, etc.  Some of this information might even be helpful, but only if you are willing to hold yourself accountable to the advice.  Therein lies the rub.

As adults, there is no one who can make us accountable to ourselves except ourselves.  No one will make us eat our veggies or go to the gym or make our bed.  These things can easily go undone.  It doesn't make us happy or healthy to just "let loose" and do whatever we feel like and skip whatever we don't.  That makes us self indulgent and maybe even lazy.

No matter what your intention--painting a bathroom, cleaning out clutter, organizing your finances, making health and wellness appointments, losing weight or making peace with your past--if you don't make yourself do these things, they never happen.  Days run into weeks, and weeks run into months, and nothing moves forward.  The guilt and frustration of "not showing up" might become your new normal.

NOT OK!  It is not ok to let yourself go and slide into the least interested, least functioning, least engaged version of yourself.  This is not a mental health day I am referring to--this is a wholesale giving up on yourself. 

Yes, it is effort to show up for yourself and your life and follow through, but then come the rewards of keeping your word--to yourself--of practicing self care--of being the person you wish to be.  That's accountability.  Maybe that knife edge I referred to is actually helping you stand up a little straighter and show up a little stronger.