I’ve made a lot of promises in my life.
I’d like to think that I kept most of them but the truth is I haven’t. I don’t think I’m too much different than most people. I have good intentions and reasons, but then again, I can justify almost anything. It’s a skill I’ve gotten quite good at.
Anyway, back to the theme of this post.
Here’s a list of things I said I’d never do;
1) Smoke
I can honestly say that I have kept this one. Never have, never will. Well, at least there is one on my list.
2) Yell in the classroom
I promised myself that I’d stop yelling in the classroom. I don’t do it nearly as much as I used to. But I have already yelled at my class this year and we are only three weeks in.
3) Download music
Downloading is wrong. I won’t do it. I’ll make tapes but not CDs. CDs are too good a quality. Tapes aren’t and therefore they are okay to make. At least that’s what I used to say.
4) Drink
I promised myself that I wouldn’t drink. I bowed into pressure and tried it a few times. But I went back to my promise and don’t touch the stuff.
5) Too Many More
I know that there are many others. I just can’t think of them right now.
How About You?
Do you have any promises broken that you’d care to share?
Come on and drop a comment.
7 responses to “Things I said I’d never do”
Hi Chase,
Well, I’m very careful about making promises — for once I make them, I am bound to it.
I don’t think I have broken explicit promises to anyone that I can think of. My conscience is clear.
I have broken plenty promises to myself. Now, that takes the highest degree of integrity — to keep promise to yourself.
Ideally, we all become masters of ourselves to keep all the promises to ourselves. It really builds up character and help us feel good about ourselves if we do,
But until we get there, the best way to keep a promise to yourself is to go ahead and tell it to someone.
Some promises about habits are hard to keep, because habits are thoughtless actions. Sounds like your #2 falls in this category? Check out this from Pavlina — I thought it was really cool way to look at it.
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2008/07/habit-change-is-like-chess/
ari
Hi Ari,
Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the link.
I know what you mean about promises. I’m very careful about promising my students anything. If I do, I make sure that I always follow through.
Some kids are used to pormises being broken. I need to let them know that promises need to be kept. Our word is important.
Hi Chase. I dislike breaking promises. If I make one to someone I do everything in my power to keep it.
As for making a promise to myself, I find that harder to do. I can’t acually remember making any promises to myself.
I did make a final New Year’s Resolution years ago that I have kept — to not make any more New Year’s Resolutions.
I try very hard not to make any promises. 🙂
Seriously, we’re all human – we make mistakes – I’d rather not disappoint myself.
Hi Davina,
I don’t believe in New Year’s Resolutions either. I think if there is something I want to change about myself, I can do it now. I don’t need to wait. Besides the New Year was never much of a motivation for me.
Hi Vered,
I disappoint myself often. Like last night I silently promised myself that I wouldn’t spend all night online and that I would get some school work done.
Guess what?
I let myself down and whittled away my time online.
Oh well, what can you do. Like you said, I’m only human.
Broken promises, broken promises …
I’m sure I have some.
I’ll get back to you on that one.
But I’d better not promise.
Hi ECD,
Thanks for the laugh this morning.
It’s funny because it is so true. I think we have all broken promises to ourselves at one time or another.