Enhancing The Good

Whew! It was hard to not reveal this step when talking about Promise last week because they go so hand-in-hand. Promise needs this step to be complete!

I’ve already kept you waiting long enough to reveal what the fourth step in this model is, so without further ado, we have what’s called Companionship. That’s right. Remember those promises you made in elementary school? Who could forget this intimidating face?

It was always with a partner. Someone who could keep you accountable to the promise you made, and even help you when keeping it got hard. The toy your friend let you borrow could’ve been something you wanted to keep so bad (that maybe you did try to steal it), but because your friend was waiting for it back, you had to give it back….

Now this isn’t always the case. I remember in second grade, actually having a toy that I got in a Happy Meal from McDonalds that I loved! It was a bracelet from some movie (I can’t remember exactly)(update: pretty sure this bracelet in the picture is the same bracelet I had!!), and I thought it was so cool that I took it to school with me to show my friends. One of my friends asked if they could borrow it, and I reluctantly let them and made them promise to give it to me the next day.

When I showed up to school the next day and asked my friend to give me back my bracelet, she said she didn’t have it. What did I do? I asked my mom to setup a playdate with her so I could go to her house and get it myself (I’m telling you, this thing was important to me and I wasn’t going to let my friend break her promise of giving it back to me). We show up to her house after school, and after a snack, I cut to the chase and ask about the bracelet. My friend said she lost it, and I suggested we go look for it, so we went up to her room and it was a mess. I remember clothes and toys being scattered all over the floor. Even though it scared me a little, I was determined and suggested we clean up to make it easier to find. Despite those efforts as well, my friend pushed back and went to do something else, pulling me along. Needless to say, I never got that bracelet back.

Others can help you stay accountable to your goals and help you reach them, but they can only go so far. You have to stay committed to your promise and mean it from the very beginning! You have to promise yourself that you will do whatever it takes to stay accountable and to reach your goal.

Besides keeping a promise between you and another person, there are so many tools out there that can help us in this Companionship step. One tool I use every single day to help me accomplish my goals is Google Calendar. I love knowing in advance of the things I need to get done any given day, having a to-do list, then check marking the boxes. I also use Keep Notes and even the alarms on my clock app (all on my phone) to tell me what things I need to do and when I need to do them. This is just what it takes for me to accomplish some of the goals that I have set for myself, but everyone is different!

To get those wheels in your brain turning a little more on how you can find companionship in this process of transformation, here are some things to think about:

Who/What Can Help You:

• God
• Family Member
• Friend
• Coach (I do offer life coaching support if it’s something you’d be interested in, or I know there are many others that would love to help as well)
• Teammate/Co-worker working on similar goals
• Journal
• Phone Apps
• Sticky Notes

Whatever you choose (above) to help you, make sure that it’s someone/something that:

• Provides companionship
• Is truthful
• You feel you can be open/accountable to
• Can guide you
• Provides comfort
• Can track your progress

Everyone is different, so their companionship will be as well. Whatever you choose to help you with your promise(s) you’ve made, make sure you do your best to uphold your side of the promise and that you can trust the person/the tool on the other side of that promise.

I want to hear from you! Who is going to be your companionship partner in the journey you’re making? Or if not someone, what are you going to use to help you?