By Leo Babauta
There’s a energy to our phrase that may be very typically underdeveloped — phrases are magic, and might create the world round us. However most of us use this magic as if it weren’t highly effective.
The primary approach we see that is that we frequently don’t honor our phrase to ourselves.
In his fantastic ebook, The 4 Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz places “Be impeccable together with your phrase” as the primary and most vital of the 4 agreements that may change your life. There’s much more depth to this settlement, “Be impeccable together with your phrase,” than you may first notice … however I’m solely going to cowl one facet of that: honoring your phrase to your self.
Some methods we don’t honor our phrase to ourselves:
- We are saying we’re going to train immediately, however then put it off as a result of we’re busy.
- We vow to cease consuming so many sweets, solely to present within the subsequent day and eat a bunch of ice cream and cookies.
- We are saying we’re going to work on a significant undertaking, however that retains getting pushed again one other day, and one other, till months have passed by.
- We are saying we’re going to meditate, however as a substitute test our telephones or e mail.
None of that is “unhealthy,” and it will be a misuse of our phrase to harshly criticize ourselves for any of this. However what if we might begin to honor our phrase to ourselves?
What if, after we inform ourselves we’re going to do one thing, we really observe via and do it?
What would that change for you, in your life?
If you happen to might 100% belief your self to honor your phrase to your self … this might change all the things.
Let’s have a look at develop the ability of our phrase to ourselves.
The Observe of Honoring Our Phrase to Ourselves
Begin by committing your self to take your phrase to your self as sacred. It’s a vow, and if you say it, you’re absolutely dedicated to it.
Remind your self of this every time you’re about to interrupt your vow to your self.
Then begin by solely making small guarantees to your self — issues you recognize you possibly can positively do. And observe via on each single promise, again and again, with full dedication.
For instance: promise to go and drink a glass of water, after which do it. Promise to reply this one e mail, then do it. Promise to go for a stroll across the block, then do it. Small guarantees, after which take them as sacred.
Take away the potential for not doing it. My coach says in case you’re a mum or dad, you don’t even query whether or not you’re going to feed your children or not — it’s a dedication you don’t query. Deal with your commitments to your self in the identical approach — unquestionable.
While you do it, acknowledge your self for honoring your phrase to your self. This can be a victory to be celebrated. Even when it’s a tiny victory, it’s vital.
If you happen to mess up, honor your phrase by acknowledging the error, and apologizing. Take accountability, with out blame or disgrace. After which commit your self to rising from this error.
Solely when you’ve gotten good on the simple guarantees must you go to tougher ones. As a substitute of promising to write down for an hour, promise to write down for five or 10 minutes. As a substitute of making an attempt to meditate for an hour, simply meditate for five minutes. Identical with train, or something that requires focus. Small guarantees, executed impeccably.
Don’t make indefinite guarantees — like that you simply’ll by no means contact one other drop of alcohol. Make small guarantees, such as you’re not going to eat a cookie for the following hour. Then make the guarantees simpler to satisfy — do away with the cookies, or take away your self from the neighborhood of the cookies.
Over time, in case you work on growing the ability of your phrase, it is going to change into one thing you don’t query. After which your phrase might be like a robust magic spell you possibly can forged anytime that you must make magic occur.
