5 ways to own this week. Make Monday your Accountability Ally

Monday is a delicious new threshold and time to review the wins last week, take what worked forward, and leave the rest.

Set the #1 non negotiable priority, and own it.

Using Monday as a marker for intention and forward momentum, starts the week at a healthy level of mind. We didn't get drawn into other stuff yet - so we can use Monday to set our GPS and inner compass - before the distraction takes hold.

Own the distraction!

When we are always on the go, especially as business owners, professionals & entrepreneurs - we are hungry, striving for more - we often forget to track and celebrate our actual progress. Before we get distracted by the next thing.

As the week goes on, complexity builds so we also forget to simplify our lives and maintain focus on what truly matters.

This week - What matters to you?

One of the most powerful tools for self-development and personal growth that I'm into right now is accountability. I used to rebel against it, when it was something I needed to keep me on track.

Accountability is a self care and self development hack but also:

- When we are accountable to someone we trust, we are more likely to stay focused, organised, and productive. But accountability is not just about being productive and getting things done.

It is also about taking a holistic approach to our life habits and behaviours - our self-care and self-regulation.

- Really does boost our productivity and efficiency: When we get accountable, we are committing to responsibility. That creates a bit of healthy pressure (there is such a thing). With this little nudge, we are more likely to maintain focus on our priorty and get the next steps executed. This is because we have voiced and shared a clear vision of what we want to achieve and we are motivated and encouraged to make it happen.

Sharing makes the subconscious conscious - and now we are bringing something to life.

- It helps us stay organised: Accountability requires us to be organised - even if we are not naturally, and especially if we feel overwhelmed. It brings us to declare a single point of focus, and to therefore manage our time more effectively. This means that we are less likely to get distracted or derailed so much by the demands of others and every day life admin - because we have claimed that we have a special thing to make progress with.

That #1 thing is non negotiable.

- It improves our mindset: When we are accountable to someone, and we have a consistent practice and regular space held for it, we are more likely to adopt a growth mindset. This means that we are open to learning new things, willing to take risks, and committed to personal development. We find the mystery of the unknown (slightly) less uncomfortable. Or at least - we get braver about being uncomfortable.

We feel the fear of the unknown and go there anyway.

- It supports the self regulation of our nervous system, and releases the yummy positive hormones in the brain: Accountability has been shown to increase and release positive hormones in the brain, such as dopamine (the internal reward system we all love) and oxytocin (the one that we also get from hugs). These hormones are associated with feelings of happiness, motivation, and trust. When we have these in balance - it's easier to keep the homeostasis of balance and calm.

We really don't need this high alert struggle, push and rush lifestyle that we find ourselves spinning around in.

This is all well and good to theorise - but accountability is not just a one-time thing and definately no quick fix to your procrastination or distraction.

It requires a consistent effort and daily practice.

This means being real and honest with ourself, setting clear goals, tracking our progress, and holding ourselves accountable for our actions. If we don't do it - it's ok! Allow that to prompt a question within you, and allow yourself to change direction if you need to, try a different way.

It's a dance, it's not a linear journey.

As the legend philosopher Lao Tzu said, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."

Simply that one step towards the thing you really want to achieve, dig into accountability and execute just that step.

In taking just that step - our courage is rewarded. The synchronicity and intuition fire up.

A conversation happens, a door opens, we rediscover the flame of divinity within ourselves. With this flame lit we have a fresh level of self belief and inner knowing, and it's from this place that allows us to serve the community around us.

There is a whole new week of exploration ahead - step by gentle step.