Found at everyjoe.com
Like many people I had a hard time getting myself motivated to workout and study the Bible regularly. I struggled daily with both of these issues knowing that I needed too do them but I kept finding excuses and reasons why I just couldn’t do it. I was to tired, to busy, to lazy. Last Fall, during one of my “lazy” moments browsing the web, I happened to stumble upon a website called www.goodmorninggirls.org I found that these ladies had created a website devoted to starting up accountability Bible study groups using Facebook, email or text. Well loving my computer and Facebook I figured I could do that!
I threw out a status asking for about six friends to join my group. I filled the spots and vala! My accountability had begun! This group of ladies has meant the world to me, I have been so motivated, encouraged and loved by them. For the first time in my life I went consistently to God’s word and God almost everyday for four months! It was a miracle! The groups are just starting up again, check out the website above and start your own group!
About a month or two into my Bible study group I realized that if it the Facebook group worked so well for my spiritual life then wouldn’t it work for weight loss? So I threw out another status to the Facebook world asking my friends to join with me to stay accountable to working out! IT WORKED! I had a group of about eight. We stayed committed and for the first time in over two years I was working out consistently 3-4 times a week, I lost somewhere between 5-10lbs! Now that it’s after Christmas I started it back up adding a few more ladies to the already amazing ladies who are in it. We are all so excited about our future smaller and healthier selves!
What is about accountability that works so well? We humans hate to feel like a disappointment, we do not like feeling out done by others and most of us like to feel like we are becoming a better person. We want to be looked at as worthy and able. I could go on about the human ego and why we so desperately want to “measure up”. There are negative and positive things to be said about those emotions but we will focus on the positive ones today. It’s good to want to be trusted, known as dependable and trustworthy. We want to show others we have self control and can be strong when put through a challenge.
desire to win + goal x people we are accountable to = SUCESS!!!
When we have others we have to face then it is harder for us to back out of what it is we are set on doing. We would hate to tell someone that we were to lazy, busy or tired. We want to prove to them and ourselves that we can over come our excuses and be successful!
So my point is if you want to see yourself accomplish something then ask around and see if you can get enough interest to start a group. You can do a group on the net like with Facebook or email. You could start a group in your town, meeting at a local coffeehouse or restaurant. Here are a few things to think about when setting a group up, I will be using my workout group for examples.
1. Set a goal: having a goal, a purpose to what it is you are doing and why. You can even have a group motto or phrase. In my group it is to be sure we are being healthy and staying active consistently.
2. Set rules: be sure to have some ground rules on what you expect and do not expect. Times, days and things that need to happen. In my group we expect people to check in at least four workouts per week and have a health goal planned for that week. Also pick materials you will use if it is a study or book club.
3. Offer a reward: I decided I could put $75 into my group to give out rewards to the most consistent people in my workout group. I figured $75 per three months was a whole lot cheaper then paying a personal trainer to motivate me! You could also have each member in the group add some money into a “kitty” to divvy up if you are doing a group like a workout group.
4. Set rules: a rule in my group is if you miss two weeks of workouts you are kicked out! Who wants to be the first one to be “outed”? NO ONE so they work their tails off to stay in the group!
5. Stay positive: nobody is allowed to talk negative about anyone else or themselves in the group. It’s okay if we talk about things you are discouraged about but saying things like “Im a fatty” is NOT okay. Or telling someone else that they are not working hard enough is also a no-no. Positive talk only!
6. Be encouraging: help each other out. You want to uplift people with positive sayings, encouraging words and “pats on the back” to keep people motivated and feeling good.
7. Keep it small: I like to keep my groups 6-12 people. This keeps them manageable and intimate. You do not want to try to keep track of 25 people’s workouts. You do not want to bog yourself down with a bunch of busy work. In the case of a Bible study you want everyone to feel comfortable opening up and discussing, feeling loved and like a family. If you do find a lot of interest encourage others to start their own groups.
There are a few steps on getting a group started. I like the Facebook “groups” feature it works great and you can make it private so nobody but the people you invite can see it or be apart of it.
A few ideas on groups to start…
Health and exercise, book clubs, Bible study, career enhancement, cleaning, parenting, crafting, budgets… the list can go on really. Whatever you want to do better start a group!
Hope this finds you motivated! You can totally get your dreams accomplished, use the power of accountability!!!
Strive For Progress!!!
~Mae
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Love the idea of groups and it is kind of like writing it down and putting it on paper, but with more accountability. Very nice read!
Thanks! It’s been fun! Love your new blog girl
You’re making me want a facebook account again. Sort of. I’ve been off it long enough I really don’t want to start up the addiction/time suck again. I’ve been considering doing goodmorning girls. I’ve been doing Bible Study Fellowship this year after many years of doing Beth Moore studies. But the study I’m in hasn’t been able to get little J into their packed childcare program. It’s frustrating because if I can’t find childcare I can’t go and I lose momentum when I don’t have that weekly accountability and discussion time. I wonder how tricky it would be to do gmgirls by email.
I miss you on Facebook and I need one more “LIKE” to be 70 likes so I am not going to help you out in that area!! haha PS you can do GMG by email and txt check out the site to find out more.
xoxo