44. Accountability works - here's why

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Hello, darling heart, and welcome to the drink less, live better podcast. This is the podcast that helps you to see that drinking

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less doesn't need to be stressful, lonely, or boring. I'm your host, Sarah Williamson, and I decided to have a year alcohol

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free as a little life experiment and haven't looked back. With my experience and training, I now help other women with their

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alcohol free or drink less adventures. You can find out more about me and sign up to my 5 day drink less challenge at drink

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less live better dotcom. I'm here to tell you that you can relax, connect and have fun without alcohol in your life. Join

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me here each week to find out how. I'm here to tell you that accountability works, and here's why. If you're pursuing a goal,

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it's helpful to put in place tools that will help you to get to where you want to be, whether a goal with a short term focus

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or long term. What have you been doing to move you towards your goal up until now, now, and is it working? Word from the wise

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here. If you are using resources that are not leading to the success, stop right now, put that chisel down, I give you permission.

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Here is my example from about a year ago. The activity was set alarm for 6 am each weekday morning because I want to go out

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for a run for 1 hour before I start my day. The result was press snooze button repeatedly for 3 months until I turned the

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bloody alarm off. The feeling was failure. Now I've got 6 months under my belt of a different behaviour. The activity is set

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alarm for 6:15, 3 mornings per week to weight train with a trainer and accountability group. The result is lowered heart rate,

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beautiful arms and shoulders, if I do say so myself, and I do, and the feeling is success. I put my success down to 2 things.

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Number 1, having a goal that whilst it was outside my comfort zone, I suspected I could do it if I really wanted to, and number

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2, knowing someone else was expecting me. If what you're doing isn't working, try something else. Be accountable. Be accountable

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to a close friend who understands. Be accountable to an Internet friend who understands. Spend your drinking money on a support

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or sober or recovery coach, either 1 to 1 or in a group. Go to AA or Smart Meetings. Don't get caught up in hiding. Declare

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your goals and don't retreat when the going gets tough. Use your accountability partner to talk through your values and what

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motivates you. Work on your limiting beliefs, your mindset, your thought patterns and behaviours. Change. Change in a good

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and powerful way. Let go of the shizzle that's holding you back. Take the action. If you don't know what the action is, then

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get help with that first. Accountability will help you to commit. You'll be more dedicated to your goal and more motivated

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to keep moving forward. Accountability will help you get really clear on the tools and resources you'll need both now and

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in the future. What are the things you must be, do or have to be successful in your goal? Accountability helps you be creative.

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If you hit a roadblock, here's a sounding board to help you find the way through. Accountability increases your competence.

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When you know someone else is watching you, you tend to focus better. Accountability gives you an opportunity to celebrate.

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You'll have a cheerleader who will celebrate all the milestones with you. Commitment, clarity, creativity, competence competence,

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and celebration. These are just some of the things your accountability partner can help you with. I'm available to be an accountability

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partner. I have got room at the moment for taking on a couple more one to one clients. If you're interested in working with

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me in my 3 month programme, please head over to my website, drink less, live better.com, and read all it there, or drop me

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an email or send me a DM on social media. I'd love to talk about how I could help you. Thank you for listening this week.

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Please listen in again next week, and PS, I believe in you.