The Power of Personal Accountability: Achieve What Matters to You

By Mark Samuel and Sophie Chiche
Xephor Press 2004
129 pages
$19.95 hardcover; $12.95 soft cover
 
Many fibromyalgia patients have discovered they need to take full responsibility for their health: they have to stay abreast of the latest research about fibromyalgia, they discuss with their doctors which medications might prove helpful in managing FM symptoms, and they educate their physical therapists and primary care physicians about their personal needs. 
 
According to Mark Samuel and Sophie Chiche, authors of The Power of Personal Accountability, taking responsibility for oneself isn’t always easy—but the process can lead to great satisfaction.
 
The authors differentiate between “the victim loop,” in which people try to pass the buck to others, and “the accountability loop,” in which they take responsibility for everything that happens to them—whether they are creators (the direct cause of the situation), promoters (the person enabling or encouraging someone else), or allowers (people standing by, not preventing the situation from happening).
 
Though the book does not focus specifically on health issues—the authors claim their pointers are applicable in all arenas, from professional to personal relationships—it offers advice that may be useful for people with fibromyalgia. One such tip is to give failed efforts a second chance. If you attempted an exercise regimen once unsuccessfully, for example, give it another try. You may be stronger now, you may have learned a new technique, or you my have a better support system than you did before. A lot may have changed since your last attempt, and your efforts may be successful this time.
 
“Be accountable—and change your life,” the authors exhort. What better time than the start of the new year to give their advice a chance?