Stay Motivated with an Accountability Partner (Day 3)

Hi guys! It is Day 3 of the 365 day challenge, where I share 1 blog post every day for 365 days. These posts are related to crochet, crafting, and goals, so if this is something that interests you, you can find more 365 Day Blog Posts here. Today we are going to be talking about holding ourselves accountable with an accountability partner.

Last night I was visiting my family, and I could feel myself leave the present moment to think about today’s blog post. My first thought was, “What should I write about?”. When I couldn’t decide right away, panic set in. “What if I can’t figure out what to write about? What if the blog post doesn’t live up to the rest of them?” On and on it went, until I began to bargain with myself.

I tried to avoid feeling the panic by pushing off the task, and justifying why it should be pushed back. I came up with the following reasons why I should not publish a blog post today:

1. Quality over quantity. Maybe if I post less frequently, like once a week, my posts will be higher quality, and I can devote more time to coming up with ideas that people will like/read.

• This reason is valid: Quality IS more important than quantity. However, I know myself, and I have tried the “just post once a week” strategy, and I still lose track of time, push it off to the next week, and worry that my content or topics aren’t up to par. So nice try Dayn! I am ready to hear your next justification.

2. More time with my husband. Logan only gets Saturday and Sunday off, so why don’t you make the most of your time with him, instead of working on this post? Don’t be selfish.

• First off, Logan is the one encouraging me to continue posting. He waits for my posts to be released, so he can read them. And he is always so proud of me when I find the motivation to finish a post, so this justification does not hold up. We can come back to the argument of quality over quantity. Quality time with my husband means that I am spending some interrupted time with him where I am fully present – this will only come after I write today’s post.

3. Nobody is reading these posts. I didn’t share this challenge with my email list, or my social media accounts, so no one knows I am doing this. It would be okay to skip a day and adjust the rules, since no one is following along with this challenge.

• I almost caved after having this thought because it was true. I didn’t share it with my community, so I had no one besides myself and Logan to hold me accountable. However, I was checking my email last night, and found a sweet message from a woman named Melanie. She told me that she is loving the new blog theme because it’s relatable, and she is cheering me on. Melanie is reading and enjoying my posts! My mindset instantly changed, knowing that one person (Melanie) is reading, which means that missing a post day is no longer an option. Thank you Melanie for taking the time to send me a message – you saved me from myself. You have become my accountability partner, without even knowing it.

Having an Accountability Partner

I am sure we have all heard the advice about getting an accountability partner (friend, loved one, etc.) for exercising and eating healthy. However, I think this advice can be applied to any aspect of our lives, including crochet. Whether you want to start your own crochet business, post more on social media, finish up a crochet project, learn a new stitch/technique, or weave in those pesky ends, find someone to hold you accountable.

By sharing your thoughts and ideas with someone, your plans and intentions become public. You put yourself out there, and once it’s out, you can’t take it back. Now your mom knows that you want to finish weaving in all the ends on your scrap blanket, BEFORE you start a new project. So knowing your mom, every time she calls, she will never forget to ask, “Did you finish weaving in the ends?”

Sometimes, sharing our plans with others can put more pressure on ourselves than necessary. But if you find that you REALLY want to do something, and you need a few pep talks and some motivation to get you there, then don’t be afraid to share.

I have a few different accountability partners: Logan, my mom, and you (yes, you reading this).

I will bring up the weaving in ends example again because this is my lifelong struggle. The plan starts in my mind – I want to finish weaving in the ends before starting another blanket – but knowing that I will be tempted to take crochet breaks, I tell Logan my plan. When I try to stray from the plan, he catches me in the act and says, “You have to finish weaving in your ends.” The childish part of me wants to fight back with a “You’re not the boss of me! I can do what I want!”. However, my inner adult kicks in, and grudgingly says, “Okay.” I’m not happy about it, but I need someone to reinforce my plan. I need someone to save me from myself.

Here is a picture of the Herringbone Blanket that I had to finish, before I could start on my Wack-a-doodle scrap blanket. You can read more about the Wack-a-doodle blanket here.

I hope you can find someone to hold you accountable if you need the extra push and reinforcement in your life. If you feel like you have no one to turn to in these situations, please send me an email at thispixiecreates@gmail.com. Tell me about your plans, and I can send you weekly check ins to see how you are doing. 🙂

This wraps up Day 3 of the 365 Day Challenge. Thank you so much for reading and following along with me. Have a wonderful day, and happy crocheting!

Read and explore more topics in the 365 Day Blog Post Challenge here.

Love, Dayna