In the very first episode of Doorstep Chats, I speak to my good friend Jema about accountability - when you make a commitment to another person or a group to do something. We discuss how this deceptively simple concept can provide us with valuable feelings of connection and agency during this period of isolation and uncertainty.

Jem and I last year completed together The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron's cult classic course in creative recovery. We chat about how being accountability buddies helped us make internal and external shifts, and deepened our friendship. Jem shares her experience of joining a 12-step programme over lockdown - a process rooted in accountability - and the parallels she noticed between The Artist's Way and the fellowship. Based on her work in mental health, Jem also talks about some of the science behind accountability and how it can be an effective way to make changes. 

I hope you get something from our conversation. Thanks for listening, and enjoy. 

LinksThe Artist's Way

The Science of Encouragement

Susan Michie & Behaviour Change

Something I learnt