An accountability partner is someone you choose; you get more meaning out of the relationship that way. Last week I wrote about choosing an accountability partner. This week, the focus is on what to consider before you go ahead and choose one. So before you go choosing one, here are some things to consider.
Trust: Is this someone you can trust? If you do not already trust the person, can you grow to trust her? This is really important because you are going to be sharing some of your struggles and victories as a WAHM with this person; you need to make sure that you are on the same page. Also, do you trust this person to lovingly tell you the truth? What’s the point in having an accountability partner if you are not sure that you will get the truth from this person?
Core Values: It is not really possible to have as an accountability partner, someone who shares all your values; and if you do, you are a very lucky person. Still, you need to make sure that you both share the same core values or it is going to be a splendid waste of time.
Attitude: Is the person’s attitude positive and encouraging? This is someone you will be entrusting your dreams to for safe-keeping; you definitely do not want a ‘fire extinguisher’ keeping guard over your dreams. In the same way, you also need to have a positive and encouraging attitude if you want to attract that kind of person to you.
Compatibility: Although it might work, pairing up with a 9-5 mom might not be very productive for you. This is because there are unique situations you would be facing as a WAHM that a working mom might not understand. You need to find someone who can appreciate where you are coming from and where you are going to. The same goes for 9-5 mums too. Having a WAHM who keeps her kids home with her all the time as an accountability partner might only increase your guilty feeling because you can’t be with yours all the time. Choose someone who understands your situation.
Location: It is possible to have an accountability partner who is thousands of miles away. Thanks to email and skype, you can still have as much contact as if you were next door neighbours. However, if you are the sort of person that needs a regular hug and the occasional lunch out, you might want to consider someone who lives close by.
Choosing an accountability partner is not something that should be left to ‘fate’ or mere circumstance; you need to thoughtfully and prayerfully consider this choice before it is made. Just as you need to be sure that all the above listed considerations have been met, you also need to work on yourself to make sure that anybody choosing you as an accountability partner would be receiving a gift.
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