One of the ways we can grow in our self-confidence is by keeping promises we make to ourselves. However, we tend to break our promises! We tell ourselves we want to go to the gym or go for a walk tomorrow, but we become lazy or tired the next morning. We tell ourselves we want to spend less and save more, but we can’t resist the online special offer. We tell ourselves we want to start eating healthy but we end up having too many cheat days. I am so guilty of them!
When it comes to our own promises, we tend to justify breaking or ignoring them. Why? Because it is so easy to get away with it, especially if you don’t tell anyone about it. Or we just procrastinate and make new promises to do it tomorrow…!
What we don’t realise is that we start losing confidence in ourselves when we keep on breaking our promises. Subconsciously, we know that we can’t trust ourselves to keep our promises. This will subsequently erode our self-confidence.
Two years ago in 2022, I decided that my Word of the Year was Integrity. Personally, that meant that I would do what said I would do. Hence, I decided to write my book, which I had said I wanted to do for many years. I not only wrote my first journal book on Nehemiah, but published it in 52 days (as Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days)! Keeping that promise to myself really boosted my self-confidence in what I am capable of doing, and what miracle God can do in my life when I trust in Him.
What are the many promises you make to yourself? What are the excuses or justifications you make when you fail to keep those promises? Please realise the impact it has on your self-confidence. My challenge to you is to make a list of the promises you have been making to yourself, and schedule to work on them every month.
As you keep your promises, you will boost your self-confidence and have a sense of integrity for keeping your word. As a parent, you can be a good role model for your children to always keep their promises too.