Do you think having an accountability partner could be a benefit to your mental health goals? We all have goals in our lives to be the best version of ourselves that we can be. But when you’re used to dealing with depression and living in the cycle that it brings, achieving your goals can be challenging.
Around this time for the past three years, I’ve abruptly stopped running my blog. And getting back to working on it again usually takes about two to three months to get me motivated to return. It’s because life gets in the way, the wrong type of life. It’s the negative distractions that so many have in life that start to bring me down and place me right back in a mindset of being on the brink of deep depression.
Well, this year was no different. I’m finally back to my blog after three months away and I’ve come to the realization that I need an accountability partner. I need someone who can hold me accountable when I start to slip away from my goals and that means my mental health goals too.
Have you thought about the same thing? Are you in the same position where maybe you’re feeling stuck with moving forward with your goals? Have you ever thought about finding your own accountability partner?
Let’s take a look at the benefits of an accountability partner and how you can find one for you as well.
What is an Accountability partner?
Once I completed therapy the second go around, I started to make goals for myself to grow beyond my depression. I knew that I wanted to come out of my comfort zone more, so I had begun to make some short-term and long-term goals.
But in order to keep those goals, I needed the motivation to do so. For a while, doing it on my own worked. But after some time, I was starting to see what they meant by “no man is an island.” I needed someone to push me further.
When we think of having a partner it usually relates to your significant other. Yet the word partner can relate to any type of relationship. According to Clever Girl Finance, an accountability partner is someone who shares a goal that you want to achieve.
What makes them stand out from a mentor is that the relationship is two-sided. This means that you both strive to complete similar goals. This type of partnership will bring on such things as sharing advice and guidance relevant to your goals.
Once you find an accountability partner, both of you make an informal commitment to push and uplift each other during rough times. Think of it as having a partner in crime to help you progress through your goals.
Two heads are always better than one. And when it comes to those moments where you’re feeling as though your depression is starting to stand in the way, this is where that other head comes in handy. They can help you through any obstacles in the way while showing you how to see your real potential within yourself.
6 Benefits of having an Accountability partner for your mental health
There are such great benefits to having someone in your corner when you’re feeling depressed. Why? Because the support of someone who genuinely wants to see you succeed the same way you want for them can be a driving force towards you feeling better.
No one can do it all on their own. And as we’re starting to learn, about managing your mental health whether it’s depression, eating disorders, PTSD, or others, having someone to guide you through the rough times serves as positive reinforcement.
Often times the one who is your accountability partner has been there before. And that is important because they will not only understand your situation, but they can provide you with ways they’ve learned to overcome the same thing. This type of relationship is such a strong bond.
Aside from them helping you through the tough parts of getting unstuck, there are other ways you can benefit from having this partnership.
1. They provide encouragement and motivation
One of the biggest ways to keep up with your goals is through motivation and positive encouragement. Having someone in your corner to be your biggest cheerleader boosts your morale, energy, and willingness to get up and go. Remember, motivation is contagious.
2. They keep you on track with your goals
If you’re struggling with distractions, having an accountability partner can keep you on track. They help you to stay consistent by keeping you focused and improving your productivity. They will be the first to hold you accountable.
3. They help you plan out your goals in great detail
They can take that feeling of being overwhelmed away by bringing structure to your goals. Some ways they can help you with this is by creating schedules, activities, tasks, and more to help set you up for success.
4. They challenge you to new things
An accountability partner with a strong personality will push you to take the next big step. They can see your real capabilities and encourage you to reach for something more, something further in your life.
5. An accountability partner share in your success
There’s no greater feeling than having someone there to cheer you on during your best moments. They will be there to share in the hard work that you put forth to achieve your goals. And they can help you see all the progress that you’ve made through your journey.
6. They help you build confidence in achieving success
Your accountability partner will be someone who can build your confidence because they have confidence in what they do. They can help you see your potential and push you out of your comfort zone. Also, those with confidence tend to boost the confidence of those they believe in.
Who’s the right accountability partner for you?
Looking for the right person to fit this great task is solely up to you and your needs. You want someone who has similar goals or has achieved similar goals as you. But most importantly you want someone who believes in you as much as you do them.
You may want to look at those who have achieved the path you’re looking to gain or is maybe a step ahead of you in the process. For example, if you want to manage how you react to your social anxiety, you will look for someone who has experience with overcoming social anxiety.
Think of your accountability partner as your “partner in crime.” It’s all about wanting similar things and helping each other to achieve that. And this person can be in the form of a colleague, friend, family member, or an older person that you may know. But be sure it’s someone who wants the best for you.
Now when it comes to what you should look for in an accountability partner, here are a few things you may consider:
Remember that this relationship is going to be a transparent, trustworthy, intimate friendship.
There will be personal, intimate things that you both will be sharing. You don’t just want to pick anyone because you’ve known them since childhood. You may want to think hard about who can fill this role for you.
Think about their communication skills and how they interact with others.
Maybe you’re comfortable with texting or phone calls or in-person communication. This is something you may look for in a person. You want to be able to communicate with each other in the most effective way. Also, think about their comfort level as well. If this is going to be a growing relationship, you both want the communication to be smooth.
Pick someone who believes in you the same way you do with them.
Remember that you both will be putting in dedicated time. So, you want someone who’s going to build a good, healthy relationship and not sabotage your path to success along the way.
Conclusion
I will definitely be looking for someone to hold me accountable on those days when I feel my lowest. As much as it’s okay to take breaks, knowing that the potential of slipping back into feeling like “what’s the point” is not okay.
This is another form of support and when it comes to dealing with any form of mental health, great support is always needed. So, are you going to look for yours today?
Who would be your ideal accountability partner? Share your responses in the comments below.
Want to know more about what you missed? Subscribe to my newsletter and never miss a post again. Also, grab your free downloadable Self-care planner.
Until next time, this is Tammy saying keep strong, keep positive. And NOTHING’s Impossible!!!
I’ve never heard of this before, but it’s such a fantastic idea. Self care means constant maintenance and I don’t always get it right. Having someone to guide me would be great.
I hadn’t heard about it before either until recently. It does make great sense to have one because as we have seen support and supporting others is so beneficial to our growth. I definitely encourage looking into it further. It could be helpful to you and your self-care.
This is a really interesting idea; I would imagine that for many people having an accountability partner would prove really useful. Motivation to grow beyond depression can sometimes be hard to maintain so any extra boost is lovely!
It’s so true, especially with depression. Support proves to be helpful in guiding someone into a more positive mindset and to do more things in their life.
Hi Tammy
Welcome back!
When it comes to looking after your health, mental or physical, you should do what works for you. And if you can help somebody else at the same time, that’s even better! I wish you luck in finding a suitable partner.
Keep smiling 🙂
Thank you so much Richie :). And you are so right.