How to Start Keeping Promises You Make to Yourself
We often break promises to ourselves because of laziness or neglect. But we don’t need to stay controlled by our flaws forever.
Why We Break Our Promises and How to Change That
You might have experienced situations like these:
You wanted to follow a diet but ate unhealthy food after one day and stopped.
You promised to work on a project without procrastinating but got distracted and gave up.
You planned to meditate, do yoga, or read every morning but missed a day and then lost motivation.
Sometimes, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why we break promises. It depends on the situation. Here are ten common reasons.
We believe that saying we will stick to a plan is enough. We think things will go smoothly because in the past, keeping promises required a lot of effort. Too often, we don’t take promises seriously. That’s why we often fail to keep them.
Ask yourself if the goal really matters to you. If it does, make a clear plan. Write it down. Choose a specific time for it. Set reminders. Prepare everything you need in advance. Then, share your progress with someone else to stay accountable.
You might promise yourself to meditate every morning but forget in the rush of the day. You remember in the middle of the day when it’s too late. The next morning, it repeats. You get disappointed and decide to give up.
How can you remember what you planned? Think about where you will be and what you will be doing when it’s time. Use sticky notes or set alarms on your phone or computer. If it’s important, it’s worth the effort.
If you start exercising but find it hard or uncomfortable, you might want to stop. Or, if a tough task at work overwhelms you, you might delay it. Don’t panic or quit right away. You won’t harm yourself by eating broccoli or doing a few push-ups. Use discomfort as a way to learn new skills and grow stronger.
Temptations come from everywhere. You decide to go on a diet but get offered chocolate cake. You want to sleep early but see a good show on TV. Temptation is just discomfort you’re used to avoiding.
Think of a temptation as a signal to continue. If someone offers you sweets while dieting, say no. Stay with the feeling of not giving in. Feel proud that you can resist.
Set specific rules. For example, if you say, “I only eat between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.,” you’ll quickly see if you’re trying to break that rule. Clear limits help you stay on track.