It is often difficult to change our habits, even when they aren’t working well for us at all. Somehow it seems easier if we are accountable to someone. Does that reach back to the place where we wanted to win a race to see the look on Mom or Dad’s face? Or to bring home a ribbon or a trophy? To have a visible measure of the worth of our effort?

Is the effort less worthy if nobody knows? Not at all, maybe even more worthy for not having to shout it out. But perhaps not as much fun if kept to ourselves. Joy shared feels like more joy than just recognition alone. Alone it feels similar to checking off an item on a long to do list, not an amazing turn around of a deep-seated habit!

For that, it is nice to have family, friends or community. They are our support people and our cheerleaders, there to help us up if we trip, so that we can stay on the path. Most of us hope to inspire others in some way, and in isolation, that is impossible….except for inspiring ourselves to beat our own record the next time, to reach for an even higher goal.  That counts,too, perhaps even more.