Who Are You Accountable To?

This will be a short read. The answer to the question is, you. You are accountable to you - first.

Accountability is doing what you say you will do. And if you don’t or can’t, being able to own it. We are human after all. Owning our limitations is hard, it feels vulnerable and plays into that myth of vulnerability, that it is weakness. But self-awareness is courageous. It is empowering to know what we can do, and what we cannot.

Which is why I’m writing this post. Some of us, sometimes, forget that we are human beings with limitations. I am one of those people. I would like to believe that I can accomplish everything I set my mind to. That setting the goal means I will make it a reality. That once I’ve decided to do something it is written in stone and sacrosanct.

And if I fail to accomplish it there will be dire consequences.

The dire consequence being that I am a person who fails (i.e. failure).

Well surprise, we all fail. It’s part of being human. It is not a dire consequence it is a freeing reality. To love who you are and who you are becoming means you love yourself with your limits. It means you join with the human family filled with people who are all doing the best they can with the tools they have.

This enables us to be accountable towards a generous mindset. How can we have a generous mindset towards others if we are not generous towards ourselves?

And so through this blogging experience, I’ve learned that generating a weekly email filled with posts for preachers and people, is beyond my limits. There, I’ve said it. And behold, the sky did not fall nor did lightning strike! It’s more like a sigh of relief.

This holds me accountable to my intention to cultivate a wholehearted way of living, the reason I started this site in the first place. To support myself and you in celebrating our humanity which means the whole and holy package. Our gifts, our strengths, and our limits. What better time than Christmas to remember that gift?

As someone who constantly encourages people to give themselves permission, I still need to remember that encouragement is meant for me too. So, henceforth, or at least until it changes, I intend to send out a monthly email to all of you who are gracious enough to have asked for one. And I will post my preaching prompts each week on Facebook for those of us who preach.

Phew!

Here is to a new year, a new decade. Another opportunity to get curious about the person we are always becoming. Another opportunity to hold ourselves accountable to what brings us life, love and purpose. Another opportunity to give thanks, and join with the whole human family.