The moment in which an article is written always matters because it is inevitably energetically shaped by the wider context and the collective landscape that impact us all. We are at the beginning of February and have just celebrated the Lunar New Year, which, in essence, signifies that we are now well and truly in 2025 and therefore in a new energy.
We have passed the time of looking back, analysing, and reflecting on last year. Now, we are looking straight ahead at the path the year holds before us.
This raises some questions:
- What is this time, this season of my life, asking of me?
- What are life’s demands of me right now?
- How am I going to show up (or not) for this year, for the remaining eleven months ahead of me?
You have an opportunity to spend some time reflecting on these self-inquiries and truly use them to guide you. Beneath the surface, what these questions are really summoning is your ability to be accountable.
According to The Virtue Project, “Accountability is the willingness to stand in responsibility for every choice. It is acting with integrity, doing what we say we will do. When we make a mistake, we do not seek to hide it or avoid it. We have the courage to face it willingly. We are open to the lessons it can bring and ready to make amends. With accountability, people can rely on us because we are answerable for our actions.”
For some, being accountable is one of the most spiritual things one can be. Those who refuse to be accountable or to be held to account often seek escapism and avoidance—something we can regularly observe in what I call “spiritual tourism.”
When you choose to be accountable, you decide to act under the guidance of your highest standards & moral compass, you commit, and you become reliable and dependable—to yourself and to those around you. Simply put, you can count on yourself, and others can count on you to keep your word. You give your all; you do things wholeheartedly, without holding back or wavering between commitment and non-commitment. This does not mean blind loyalty, but instead, you stand and act congruently, true to yourself and for what you know is right.
For some reason, many struggle with accountability—so much so that they go as far as paying someone else to hold them accountable. This is called a coach. While coaching involves much more than accountability, it is a significant and integral part of their role.
A helpful and accessible way to cultivate accountability is to have what is commonly called an “Accountability Buddy” – someone you pair up with and mutually agree to keep each other accountable. The biggest challenge is finding the right person with the same level of commitment. It requires some initial organisation and structure to set things up, but once established, it can be an effective way to stay motivated and on track with your goals. In fact, you can have different accountability buddies for different objectives.
If you were to decide that 2025 is your year of accountability, there may be things that life requires of you (as prompted by the initial questions), as well as things you personally wish to achieve.
If you’re really going to be accountable about something or to someone, here are some good check-in questions to ask yourself first:
- Why do I want (to do) this in the first place?
- How important is it to me?
- Is it for me or for someone else?
- Is it for external validation and approval?
- Is it truly aligned with my values and authenticity?
- What is the cost of not doing it?
Remember, it is not because something is good for us that we want it. It is because we want it that we think it’s good for us. These questions will help you stay true to yourself and cultivate discernment on your accountability journey.
Main – Photo by David Besh
