Be accountable

If you are a stage-four people pleaser like I am, or if you are Catholic, this is really effective. Be accountable to a few people in your life for good behavior. Not really like the principal of an elementary school, or, well, yeah, kind of like that. My doctor and my therapist are my principals, because I know what the first thing they are going to ask me is: “So, what’s going on with you?” And at that point, I could lie or tell the truth. If I lied, that would be a big old waste of $125, wouldn’t it? It’s not like confession where you can leave some of it out. I sincerely want to tell them I’m making progress in a certain area of my life. My therapist, especially, will give me “assignments” or things to work on before our next visit. I was always one to get my homework finished on time, so this system works for me.