Accountability

Written by : Deanna Ansara

We've been chatting a lot about accountability lately. This is such a vast topic with lots of layers and facets... and you all know by now, I don't do surface level well. So, let's just start simple with this first post and we can dive deeper into this once the Patreon launches later this year.

I have a theory that in order for us to feel comfortable with holding ourselves and others accountable, it requires a level of feeling safe in ourselves, building up a sense of agency, and remembering that it is a positive and necessary act to push the needle forward.

In order to hold ourselves & others totally accountable we need:

• More Transparency
• Less Ego
• Targeted + Specific Goals

We've broken down a few different ways we can use accountability:

• Acts of love to support/keep our friends + loved ones on their journeys
• Holding influencers and brands to higher standards for the content they create, the vendors + partners they work with, and how to be more intentional with their work.
• Applying both of the above to ourselves in order to live a more thoughtful and more fulfilled life.

Here are a few actions we can take to incorporate accountability:

• When receiving feedback, listen and do not react. Take note and reflect on your intentions and actions. Think on collaborative resolutions.
• Influencers + Brands : When a customer/follower asks questions, same goes for you...Do not be quick to react. Most likely, these questions are coming from a place of genuine curiosity, not a place of attack.
• Check the EGO. Remember that it's OK not to be right all the time. We need to normalize that we can't possible know everything and that is alright. Use everything as a learning opportunity and a chance to deepen your awareness/knowledge of the world around you.

Our minds have the ability to adapt, evolve, and generate new information in real time. We can be ever growing if we nurture this part of ourselves. 

Here are a few ways to hold ourselves + others accountable:

• Ask with curiosity, not judgement. Everyone is starting from a different place. 
• If you notice someone perpetuating a behavior you don't agree with, call it out, but do so in a productive way that can generate an enlightening conversation and (hopefully) lead to a change in behavior.
• What are your pillars? Are my decisions and purchases aligning with these values? There is always space to improve. It's not about perfection, it's about progress.

There is so much more to touch on, but this is a start. I encourage all of us to practice mindfulness and highly encourage a collective SLOWING DOWN. This will allow for a heightened level of awareness in the self and our surroundings. It will create a shift in the way you make decisions, interact with yourself/others, and it will inevitably lead to a more fulfilled life full of growth and curiosity.

If you'd like to join in on more in depth conversations, join me on ClubHouse or keep an eye out for my Patreon announcement in the coming months.

Talk to you soon,

D