Self-Parenting and Promises

Did you ever make promises to yourself? I'm not talking about anything small.

"I had a really hard day at work. When I get home, I'm just gonna curl up on the couch, flip on the TV and have a pint of my favorite ice cream."

I'm talking about major life promises. I'm talking about the kind of promise you'd hear from your father.

"I'll never let anyone hurt you."

Or how about your mother?

"I'll always be here for you."

Today you're an adult. You're no longer your parents' responsibility. However if your parents are anything like mine, they'd try their darnedest to keep the promises they made to you when you were just a toddler sitting on their lap. Their promises are forever.

Part of being an adult is making these "forever" promises to yourself AND keeping them forever. They usually start with:

"I'll never..."
"I'll always..."
"I'll do everything in my power to..."

For me, they're not trivial. I only make up rules that improve the state of my mind or body. These are rules for my life. If I were a nation, they'd be in my constitution. A code of laws to govern myself. They give me a sense of responsibility over my own actions. They show me the way whenever I'm confused. Since I will never break a promise to myself, they also make me feel secure. That kind of warm-blanket-teddy-bear-under-the-chin secure.

I hope you find "forever" rules that you can always follow. I believe the more rules you make for yourself, the happier you'll be.

One of my favorite rules is:
"I'll always tell my loved one how I feel about her."