Promises are powerful tools that we use to make commitments to ourselves and others. When we make a promise, we are essentially telling ourselves or someone else that we will follow through on a particular task or commitment. Promises are a fundamental part of our everyday lives. We make promises to others, and we expect others to keep their promises to us. However, the promises we make to ourselves are often overlooked or easily broken. The promises we make to ourselves are just as important, if not more so, than the promises we make to others. When we keep promises to ourselves, we are building trust, confidence, and self-esteem.
Have you ever experienced someone breaking a promise to you? Do you remember how it felt? There is a feeling of betrayal and a loss of trust that comes from a broken promise or a missed commitment. How many of us grew up knowing that when our parents said, “we’ll see” it sounded like “yes” but really meant “no.” How many times have we done that to our own kids? (Guilty!!) How many times have we committed to doing something to improve our lives, our health, to create better habits only to give up after it became hard or we failed a time or two? When we do this to ourselves, we lose trust in ourselves, just as we lost trust in the words “we’ll see” when we were kids. Losing trust in Self leads to losing confidence, questioning our intuition, fearing our creativity. Making a keeping small promises to ourselves can help to rebuild our trust in Self and can help us tap back into our confidence and creativity.
Today I want to explore the importance of keeping promises to ourselves and how it can positively impact our lives. Just imagine what our lives could look like if we made a small commitment to ourselves and kept that commitment every day.
The Importance of Keeping Promises to Ourselves
Making promises to ourselves is a critical aspect of self-care. It is an essential way to build trust and respect within ourselves. When we make promises to ourselves, we are telling ourselves that we are worthy of our own time, attention, and care. We often make promises to ourselves as a way to improve our lives, whether it be to eat healthier, exercise more, or take on a new hobby. These promises are often made with the best of intentions, but it is all too easy to break them. However, when we break these promises, we are breaking the trust and respect that we have for ourselves, which can be detrimental to our mental and emotional health.
Keeping promises to ourselves is essential for our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. The promises we make to ourselves are a way of expressing self-love and self-respect. We make promises to ourselves as a way of taking care of ourselves and improving our lives. Whatever the commitment, the promises we make to ourselves are significant.
When we make small promises to ourselves, we are building self-trust. We are telling ourselves that we are capable of achieving what we set out to do. We are building a relationship with ourselves, and like any relationship, it takes time and effort to build trust. When we keep promises to ourselves, we are reinforcing that trust and strengthening that relationship.
Keeping promises to ourselves is also an act of self-discipline. Discipline is a crucial factor in achieving success and reaching our goals. When we keep promises to ourselves, we are developing the ability to be disciplined in other areas of our lives. We are building the resilience needed to overcome obstacles and challenges.
Another important benefit of keeping promises to ourselves is improved mental and emotional well-being. When we make promises to ourselves and keep them, we are developing a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence. This feeling of accomplishment can positively impact our mood, reducing stress, and improving our mental and emotional well-being.
In 2019, I made a promise to myself that I was going to write for 45 days, every day, and post to this blog. It was not easy. But I committed myself to see it through. The result was not just having 45 posts about courage, or reaching lots of people, or having enough content to write a book. The greatest result was a feeling of pride and accomplishment. I had set out to do something for 45 days, and I did it.
The Importance of Consistency
Consistency is key when it comes to keeping promises to ourselves. It’s easy to make a promise to ourselves, but following through consistently can be challenging. When we keep promises to ourselves consistently, we are building habits that will serve us well in the long run.
The benefits of consistency go beyond just achieving our goals. Consistency also helps to develop self-discipline and builds self-trust. When we consistently keep promises to ourselves, we are demonstrating to ourselves that we are reliable and trustworthy. This consistency can have a positive impact on other areas of our lives, such as our relationships with others.
When I began 45 Days of Courage, I knew the only way to do it was to get up early in the morning and write. Even now, I get up every morning and write for thirty minutes. Sometimes I also write for thirty minutes at night. While I no longer publish everything I write, I know I am improving my skills. I know that I am keeping a small promise to myself. And, I may also be putting together a little project I will send out into the world in the next 3-6 months.
How to Keep Promises to Ourselves
Keeping promises to ourselves requires commitment, discipline, and self-awareness. Here are some tips to help us keep promises to ourself:
Start Small: Start with small promises that are easy to keep. For example, promise yourself to take a ten-minute walk every day. Starting small allows you to build momentum and increase your confidence.
Make a Plan: Create a plan to help you keep your promises. Write down your promise, and create a plan to achieve it. Having a plan in place will help you stay on track and make it easier to follow through.
Be Accountable: Tell someone about your promise, and ask them to hold you accountable. Having someone else to answer to can be a powerful motivator.
Celebrate Your Successes: Celebrate every time you keep a promise to yourself, no matter how small. Celebrating your successes will help you stay motivated and build momentum.
Learn from Your Failures: It’s okay to fail. If you break a promise to yourself, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, learn from your failures and use them as opportunities to improve. Reflect on why you weren’t able to keep your promise and adjust your plan accordingly.
The Impact of Keeping a Simple Promise to Yourself Every Day for 30 Days
Keeping a simple promise to yourself every day for 30 days can have a significant impact on your life. By consistently keeping your promise, you are building habits that will serve you well in the long run. You are developing self-discipline, building self-trust, and improving your mental and emotional well-being.
Imagine what your life could look like if you kept a simple promise to yourself every day for 30 days. This could be something as simple as taking a walk every day or meditating for five minutes. Here are some potential benefits of this practice:
- Increased self-confidence and self-esteem
- Improved mental and emotional wellbeing
- Increased productivity and focus
- Improved physical health and fitness
- Greater resilience and ability to overcome challenges
- Improved relationships with others
For example, let’s say you make a promise to yourself to meditate for ten minutes every day for 30 days. By consistently keeping this promise, you are developing a habit of mindfulness and building a sense of calm and inner peace. You are improving your mental and emotional well-being, reducing stress and anxiety, and increasing your ability to focus and be present.
Another example could be promising yourself to exercise for 30 minutes every day for 30 days. By consistently keeping this promise, you are building a habit of physical activity, improving your health and fitness, and increasing your energy and stamina.
My small promise to myself is to continue writing every day for 30 minutes in the morning. I am also promising myself to take a 10-15 minute walk every day. What small promise can you make? It needs to be small enough that it is easy to make a habit, but not so small that not keeping it is insignificant.
In conclusion, keeping promises to ourselves is just as important as keeping promises to others. When we keep promises to ourselves, we are building self-trust, self-discipline, and improving our mental and emotional well-being. Consistency is key when it comes to keeping promises to ourselves, and starting small can help us build momentum and increase our confidence. By keeping a simple promise to ourselves every day for 30 days, we can develop habits that will serve us well in the long run and positively impact our lives.
So, join with me and make a promise to yourself today and commit to keeping it for the next 30 days. You never know how it could change your life for the better.
Christine Sharpe: Writer, Speaker, Leader . 
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