Make April acCOUNT

It has taken me way too long to realise the power of accountability. Despite reading (and even writing) about it for years, it has only been this year that it finally clicked.?

Fiercely independent, I have always been someone who flinches at the idea of accountability. I don’t have a problem with being held accountable, but rather the notion that I need others to help me with this. I feel I should be able to motivate myself without needing external input.?

I would categorise myself as relatively disciplined - a skill I have cultivated over the years in pursuit of my (arguably unattainable) expectations. But motivation and discipline alone are not always enough to get you to where you want to be, and there are much better ways to get there than white-knuckling your willpower.?

Far from being a weakness, in fact, accountability is quite the opposite. A source of strength, it really does work. I have London Writers' Salon to thank for this revelation and am now reaping the benefits in other areas of my life as well, including wellbeing and professional development.

At its core, accountability’s effectiveness seems to be built on a foundation of both systems and a sense of community. By nature, it requires something or, more often, someone to be accountable to. Its magic lies in the feeling of being part of something bigger than yourself and your excuses.?

With that in mind, this month I wanted to share some of the communities I am grateful for. That help me to show up (even on the days I don’t feel like it) and take another step towards where I want to be. After all, goals are achieved by putting one foot in front of the other.?

If ever there was proof that even at the worst of times, creativity and innovation persist, London Writers' Salon (LWS) is it. After hosting a number of events in London, these were brought to an abrupt halt along with the rest of the world when Coronavirus and the subsequent lockdowns hit.

What could have been the end of this story, is actually the start, with LWS launching their online writers' hour in March 2020. Founded by Matt Trinetti and Parul Bavishi (Ma and Pa), they provided a space for writers to show up to the page each morning between 8-9am. Starting in London, this concept was quickly shipped around the world, with equivalent sessions hosted from Melbourne, and in US Eastern and Pacific time, offering four hours’ worth of accountability per day.?

Hosted on Zoom, the session starts by setting your intention for the hour in the chat. The LWS hosts call out some of the responses, read the daily words of wisdom, and everyone raises a drink (most likely non-alcoholic) before launching into 50 minutes of focused silence. At 8:55 they call you back for final check-in and send you off to the day ahead - having already made progress towards your goals before 9am!

Three years - 150 continuous weeks on - they have built an incredible community, supporting over 20,000 writers to make time for their creativity. As well as the writing hours they also host interviews, workshops, socials, meet-ups and a podcast. While there is no cost to join the writing hours - bronze, silver and gold memberships offer varying degrees of access to the community and events. With the gold level including access to editors, LWS has helped over 2,500 pieces of work to be published.

Not just for writers, people show up to use the hour for journaling, work, study - whatever they want to make progress on. One morning I even saw a woman painting!

There is only one rule of LWS - you can either stare out the window or write. I have never ended up not writing…

I first visited AllBright in May 2019, when it was still in Fitzrovia (London). A women-only members club, I remember being blown away by the thought that had gone into creating a space designed for females. Warm and inviting, it was set over multiple floors and even featured a hair salon.

Fast forward three years and I found myself in AllBright’s new home, a beautifully appointed townhouse on Maddox Street in Mayfair. Set over five floors, they hold true to their home-away-from-home promise, with stunning interiors providing a sense of stepping into someone’s light- (and plant-) filled living room... if that person was incredibly stylish and had a full bar! Offering spaces to work, meet, dine and unwind, the hair salon remains and there are even two roof terraces with views over central London.

But it’s what goes on inside these interiors that makes AllBright so special. Founded in 2017 by Debbie Wosskow OBE and Anna Jones, AllBright is aimed at empowering women with the confidence they need to realise their potential across all stages of their careers. A bold mission they live up to across their digital collective platform - including a mentor matching feature - and events.

I particularly love their monthly AllBright MEETS event where you have the opportunity to hear an inspiring female interviewed as well as network with other members and guests. Having attended these events over the past year, they offer an authentic way to network and meet interesting and talented women.

With Viv Paxinos stepping in as CEO last year, AllBright does not shy away from the issues faced by women in the workplace today, tackling menopause, the gender pay gap, burnout and upskilling. Their recently launched AllBright Alliance, calls on businesses and brands to commit to creating unlimited possibilities for women’s careers… making work, work for ALL women.

You know an app is useful when you never question the value of the annual subscription fee. Reframe falls into this category for me. Designed to help people build healthier drinking habits, Reframe uses neuroscience to reframe your relationship with alcohol and ‘unlock the healthiest, happiest you.’?

While I did start using Reframe as a resource in my sober-curious journey, the reason I have stuck with it for over a year is because it is so much more than an app for cutting back on drinking.

Broken down into daily tasks, you begin by setting your ‘why’ which Reframe reminds you of along the way to help recentre focus.?Each day has five tasks: a short reading, a motivational quote, a prompt to reflect on and logging of your (mood/appetite/stress) as well as your drinks for the day.

For me, it’s the topics that are the most valuable. While they do start out related to drinking (unsurprisingly), they quickly develop into a range of topics relevant to life in general: overcoming challenges, dealing with emotions, mastering mindset, building habits, improving relationships - you name it, Reframe most likely covers it.

Of course, information on these subjects can be found elsewhere, but what Reframe does so well is breaking down what can be complex and overwhelming topics, into bite-sized learning. Incorporating research and explaining the neuroscience behind how our brains work, Reframe also provides clear, actionable suggestions for ways to work on the area.?

With many additional features including courses, workshops, challenges and a community of like-minded individuals (did someone say accountability?), Reframe takes a topic that typically has a lot of stigma and shame around it and provides a positive, encouraging environment to guide and support users on their journey to a happier life.?

If you’re looking to explore your relationship with alcohol, this is the app for you. If you’re not looking to explore your relationship with alcohol, this is still the app for you!

A few extra resources:

1. Calm - helps me make time for medidation on a daily basis.
2. Babbel - both the lessons and online classes for learning German.
3. ClassPass - allows me to book classes across various studios (and countries) and accompany friends to exercise.
4. Peloton App - I don’t have the bike but use the app to take classes online when I don’t have the motivation to train myself.

“Progress is achieved by putting one foot in front of the other. Accountability is having someone to step alongside you.” - SJ Fallick

I’m not sure how I feel about people quoting themselves! However, I couldn’t find a quote I liked on accountability so here we are.?

This month I invite you to stop relying on your motivation and willpower and tap into the power of accountability. Regardless of what area of your life you’d like to make progress in, we all benefit from being part of a joint vison. There are countless online and IRL classes and communities and, if that’s not for you, try finding a family member, friend or colleague who could step with you on your journey.?

I hope this instalment of Future You has sparked some inspiration. If so, please do share it with a friend or colleague who could also find it useful - or become your accountability buddy...

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this month’s topic including which communities or apps help you stay accountable in the comments below.?

Best,

SJ