10 Promises You Should Always Make to Yourself
Published: Feb 18, 2015
Two years ago, I tried something. This was a very common something which the majority of people do every day. I tried it, because, well, a particular something told me I should.
And, wow, I am so thankful I did.
I looked into a mirror. The task was simple: just stare, stare until you feel something. Vague, yes, but whatever, here goes nothing. Round one began by first staring at my right eye, then left, as I watched, wondering what I was supposed to be seeing, thinking, feeling. As I stared, something clicked, I smiled, then immediately looked down. Wait, now I am looking at my dresser. Failure at its simplest, I looked up and shook my head. Round two. Here we go, first the right eye, left eye, stare, stare, stare. Nothing, I feel nothing. Failure again, more complex, yet not, as I stood for “third times the charm”. Round three. Right eye, left eye, stare, click, smile, smile, smile, bigger smile, laugh, dead stop, blank face.
What? What in the world just happened?
In my moment of realization, I took a seat in the chair beside me. My thoughts were scattered, yet absurdly organized as I realized the girl who looked back at me was me, the only me there was. She had been through failure, through success, crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and walked next door. She had beat the odds, and battled the odds, simultaneously, as she was just like everyone else. At that very moment, I gave that girl 10 promises and after two years I have decided to share them with you.
The 10 Promises You Should Always Make To Yourself
Wake up every day: Simple, yet so easily forgotten. When I say wake up, I don’t mean roll out of bed. WAKE UP, JUMP OUT, run outside if you have to. Every day, no matter what happened in the days prior, is meant to be lived fully. If you ever need inspiration, “Wake Up, Kick A$$, Be Kind, Repeat”, plays as a re-run in my imaginary quote network.
Never hold the past against you: What happened, happened. Once you have learned from it, understood the consequences, did everything you could to improve your situation, (maybe cried a little), let it go and let it be. You must always move on because those things cannot be changed.
Don’t let anything steal your smile: If it is not allowing you to smile, helping you laugh, or encouraging you to be better, drop it. Trust me, there are already enough obstacles in this world that can bring about unhappiness. This is open ended, ranging from people to things to events, so take it literally. If it stole your smile, steal it back.
Own your life: No excuses, take responsibility for your setbacks, your screw ups, your mistakes. There is nothing wrong with an honest mistake, as long as we are always in a state of growth.
If you can do it, do it: This is more abstract, but if you have the power to make a difference, than make a difference. If you have the skill to teach, then educate. If you have the beauty to be bright, then sparkle. If you can contribute, contribute! The world is made better by your contribution because you are here for a reason. Maintenance of your skills/qualities, unique to you, should always be of utmost importance.
Let go of what is not meant to be: You closed those doors for new ones to open. New beginnings are often characterized by horrible endings, yes, I have heard all of these. But honestly, if you have any doubt about a situation, then it is simply not meant to be, and that is 100% OK. Speaking of percentages, what is meant to be is 100% worth the never-meant-to-be’s.
Never fear what others would think: As hard as this is, it is essential. Realize that people who will not walk along the path with you are not meant to be there in the first place (#6). You are you, and if it makes you happy, by all means express it. How do you think I became a blogger? Because I WANTED to, it makes me HAPPY, and I do not FEAR what others think.
Never limit yourself: Now I mean this in terms of goals, placing boundaries around what you think you can achieve. NO, what you think you can achieve, and what you can actually achieve are usually quite different. Your limits are determined by your personality, but don’t ever limit yourself because you don’t think you are good enough.
Always have a little fun: Our daily lives can become routine, they can drag, and they can even be miserable. But if you add a little fun, a little laughter, and some smiles (#3) to everything you do, nothing will be as bad as it seems.
When in doubt, look back in the mirror: It is where I look to make sure I don’t have a huge glob of toothpaste on my lip, where I look when I wash my hands, and where I search for the correct color combination in my outfit. But, most importantly, it is where I look to find me and where you can find you.
You may use my 10 promises, or you may make up your own. Even one promise or two will make your connection with yourself better than you could have imagined. In a world of constant competition, rivalry, and confrontation, be one human that shuts down the war between yourself and the mirror. Be the one that looks into the mirror and says, “Hello. I can and I promise I will”.
-Happiness in Handfulls