Accountability is Empowering

First of all, what does accountability mean? Accountability is the act of taking responsibility. It sounds a little strange that taking responsibility could be empowering, when empowering is such a big word with a powerful meaning!

But I am going to metaphorically explain my proposition before talking more facts..

Who here has ever told a lie?

(Your answer is probably "I have")

How does it feel to tell a lie?

Who here has ever told the honest truth?

(Your answer is also probably "I have")

How does it feel to tell the truth?

Now when we tell a lie, it USUALLY seems like the best option at the time (for the most part). This goes, not only for telling others lies but also lying to ourselves (lack of accountability).

Now when we tell the truth, it can be extremely terrifying and cause a lot of anxiety to have to tell the truth... (this sounds awful).

When we lie, it's instant gratification... BUT, each time we lie, we throw a small pebble (for small lies) or a big pebble (for big lies) into the backpack that we carry around all day...

These pebbles are in the form of "what if they find out", "was that the right thing to do", "what would've happened if I told the truth?", **stomach butterflies*, **anxiety, *overthinking- and so on...

The truth is as simple as delayed gratification, before the truth is told, we are scared, dwindled with anxiety, as soon as we get the truth out, instant relief and guess what? No pebbles in your backpack...

Imagine waking up every morning free of weight in your backpack, being able to go to work, or care for yourself with no lingering "what if they find out".

When I say that accountability is empowering, I mean that when you speak honestly with yourself and the world around you, you get to live your life with no weight in your backpack, when we speak the truth and only the truth to ourselves and others, there is no long term anxiety, or questioning..

When we take accountability for our own actions and see that what we do and what we say is what causes our inner conflict and not the actions and words of others, we choose peace of mind, discipline and control.

When we choose to speak the truth, when we speak kind words, passionate words, we choose serenity.

Hold yourself accountable and feel empowered!

~ Angelena Cordonier

2024-02-08