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Promises, Promises
Make them sparingly
Promises are a form of love. A promise honors the one to whom it is made. A promise is a commitment.
To say, “I promise I’ll be there” is to say, “Being there will be my top priority.”
That’s why promises should be made sparingly.
If you have a previous commitment and are unsure you can be there, don’t make the promise. And don’t promise something you don’t want to do, or are unsure about.
When someone invites you to an event or makes a request, it’s a more loving act to decline or be non-committal (“I’d like to, but I’m not sure I can make it.”) than to make a promise you’re not sure you can keep. Because once a promise is made, you’re included in someone else’s plans. To break the promise is to disrupt those plans.
Making a promise is a voluntary act. Keeping it is no longer voluntary. It’s better to disappoint others by declining a request than to hurt them by breaking a promise.
This applies to promises we make to ourselves. Make them sparingly, but once made, follow through. When we don’t, we’re dishonoring — devaluing — ourselves.
But why make promises to ourselves in the first place?
For the same reason we should be doing anything: to feel good. Specifically, to enhance physical…
