I missed an appointment with a well known and busy dermatologist who’s impossible, it seems, to schedule.
I considered calling the office and pretending my appointment was this week instead of last….telling myself that a little white lie won’t matter in the scheme of things. Surely people miss their appointments all the time because of scheduling errors.
I also considered using the excuse of fighting this chest cold hoping they would take sympathy upon me and gladly reschedule me.
Since I know that what I put out there in the world comes back to me almost instantly; I decided that I would rather avoid the people in my own life telling me white lies.
I rang the office and when the woman answered, I said “I have totally screwed up and I am so sorry. I had an appointment last week and missed it which is unlike me, and I really needed to see him.”
Do you know what she said? “Can you be here in 30? I’ll fit you in!”
I couldn’t believe it.
Just this morning I realized that I forgot to pay my scheduled tax payment last month.
If you have ever had to deal with the IRS, you know that they really don’t understand the phrase I’m really sorry.
So….riding my recent bliss from being accountable with my dermatologist, I told the agent that answered the phone “I completely forgot to mail my payment last month. I’m now over a month late and I’m afraid you’re going to penalize me.” Not only did she accept my payment over the phone and without the normal extra charge for phone service, but she also reversed the late fee AND penalty.
Do I need to write that again? This was the IRS.
We’re all so used to hearing excuses from people in our lives. Whether these excuses come from your spouse, your children, your friends, your business associates or larger entities such as your government; the feelings are the same, we’re tired of them.
Actually being accountable is refreshing and takes people off guard. We’re so conditioned by hearing excuses that when someone is brutally honest and just takes responsibility, we’re automatically shifted into the very acute present.
In the end, taking responsibility for our own actions or lack of action, empowers us.
It was us that did or didn’t do it.
We messed up. We are responsible.
There is no victim card here…regardless of circumstances and in the end, it’s our fault.
We really do have control over all sorts of things in our lives.
The real issue is feeling in control; and ultimately, if we want to feel more control in our life, we need to take our power back.
Taking control is being responsible for ALL of our actions. Only then are we truly accountable and truly powerful.
I can tell you from experience, the world smiles upon those few bright lights that have the courage to stand up and be accountable.
xo
Image Courtesy of Feel Art at freedigitalimages .net