A commitment is defined as a promise to do or give something, a promise to be loyal to someone or something, the attitude of someone who works very hard to do or support something.

How are you with your commitments? To others, to your job, to obligations? If you are anything like me, pretty loyal. I find that I keep my commitments. When I say I will do something I will do it. It is one of the qualities that I am proud of in myself. People know this about me, it is a large part of who I am. Where I fail, or need some improvement is keeping the commitments I make to myself. That is where the problem lies.

When you don’t keep your commitments to yourself you feel bad and your self- esteem and self worth goes down without you even realizing it. Why is it so easy to keep commitments to others but so hard to follow through with yourself?

I think it is kind of like how we say things to ourselves that we would NEVER say to another person. I hate to admit it but I know some of the things I say to myself, I would NEVER say to another human being.

Breaking a commitment to yourself is easy.  You can make excuses. You can put it off because you believe no one else is affected. You can say things like “Oh, I can do that later”, not realizing that it is causing damage to you, by not following through.  Then when things don’t get done, you begin to beat yourself up for putting it off. What happens next,  the self defeating thoughts and negative beliefs are reinforced. The cycle continues.

On the flip side, when you keep your word to yourself, it uplifts you. You feel accomplished, confident, and ready to tackle the world. So if you are feeling down about yourself. Look inside. Are there things you have said you were going to do but did not? Have you put things off? Have you not forgiven yourself? Take a moment. Think about it.  I challenge you to make a list of things you have committed to yourself and haven’t followed through. Then one by one get them done. For you. Your happiness, your joy, depends on it.

Living Prosperously