Make a Promise. Keep Your Word. Be Yourself.
Those are my resolutions for 2019. Here’s a quick look.
Make a Promise.
A promise is made every time you “give your word.” There was a time when a person’s word was the most important declaration and guarantee that one could make. I’m challenging myself to pay attention to everything that I say or write, with the intention of stating only that which I’m committed to accomplishing.
That means no more casual “I’ll give you a call sometime” or “let’s have lunch” statements unless I intend to follow through and do what I said. My word is my bond and I tell the truth. That goes for how I treat myself as well. If I’ve committed to working out five days a week, or to spending 20 minutes a day in prayer and meditation, I will not excuse myself from these promises. I can’t make and keep promises to others if I can’t make and keep promises to myself.
Keep Your Word.
A promise that is not kept is a lie. No dancing around this one with pleasantries such as “I tried my best” or “he knew I was just being polite.” Keeping your word – relentlessly – is the greatest discipline one can undertake. It requires work, and I’m challenging myself to examine the areas in my life where I don’t keep my word, and adjust accordingly so that I do.
I can predict what I’m going to find: too many extraneous relationships and too much extraneous garbage flowing through my mind. 2019 is about determining what matters most each and every day, recognizing that today may be my last. I’m committed to making every day count and I can only do that if I’m living in integrity.
Be Yourself.
There are many entrepreneurs, leaders, thinkers, and spiritual mentors that I admire and have learned from, and at times I find myself comparing my journey to theirs and becoming frustrated that I’m not where they are. It’s pathetically obvious, but warrants repeating: the only path that matters to me is my path. The only path that matters to you is your path. Ignoring this means that the best one can hope for is to be an imitation of someone else.
I’m here for one reason only, and that is to be me, fully and completely. To do so, I’m challenging myself to release all resistance to who I really am, allowing the Divine within me to animate me by thinking, speaking, dreaming, acting, accomplishing, and loving through me.
Make a Promise. Keep Your Word. Be Yourself.
I challenge you to join me.