We rage when others fail us.
But when we fail ourselves, we are so much more forgiving.
What makes us so comfortable betraying ourselves?
Is it because no one is watching?
Or because we believe our own dreams can wait… a little longer?

The raise your boss had promised.

The technician who did not arrive to fix your gadget.

The money your friend did not return… on time… or ever.

The house help who failed you on the very day you needed them the most. 

The road, the schemes, the tax cuts the government promised… and did not fulfil. 

That promised holiday. That promised role. That promised justice. That promised land. 

All broken. All unfulfilled. 

How difficult is it to let that go and move on? 

How easy is it to curse the one who failed you? 

And yet… 

How easily we forgive ourselves… for breaking all the promises we have made to ourselves!

That promise we made to ourselves…

To wake up at 5?

To work out? 

To read half an hour?

To sleep early?

To eat right? 

To write that screenplay, to post that blog, to make that trip, to meet that friend, to call that relative?

To plan… and stick to plans?

That yoga mat lying in the corner after a few days’ use.

Those running shoes lying in their boxes (taken out once in six months to repair the soles because the adhesive has dried out.)

That guitar gathering dust in the corner (brought out of the cover once in six months for tuning)

That bicycle rusting in the garage (taken out once in six months for servicing). 

That story gathering moss in your head (discussed every few months with friends over drinks, till someone has made it into a movie/ a book/ a show)

How often do we keep these promises we make to ourselves?

And how easily we find the excuses to break them… 

And how effortlessly we forgive ourselves after breaking these promises… 

And how blindly we trust ourselves… to make further promises, knowing half well that we will not keep our word.

We take our own word so lightly… and expect the world to honour theirs. 

Keeping the promises we make to ourselves is not just about how disciplined we are… It’s about how much we respect ourselves. If we don’t value our own word, the world will not. And the world knows… Our attitude shows. We can’t expect the world to be honest with us, to be loyal to us while betraying ourselves every single day.  

Let’s take ourselves a little more seriously. 

Let’s treat ourselves with a little more respect. 

Let’s keep those promises we make to ourselves.  

Only we are accountable to ourselves. Let’s keep our word. Let’s show up. Every time.