Promises Made, Promises NOT Kept

I talk to my sister on the phone……a lot.  It’s so nice that long distance is basically free now after many years of us both having to watch out for how much we were talking on the phone with those long distance charges and our smaller incomes and raising children, etc.

I always make grandiose plans for myself, commitments to myself and let’s face it, I just don’t feel important enough to actually follow through on those things.  I am an Obliger for anyone who is familiar with Gretchen Rubin and her books.  While reading Better Than Before the phrase “do you put everyone else’s needs above your own to the point of exhaustion?” Okay I’m paraphrasing.  That phrase hit me between the eyes.  Why yes, yes I do.  Do you keep commitments to yourself.  Um no.   I am an excellent, grade A+ obliger.  I’m okay being an obliger, I do really enjoy doing things for other people, as my past entries may show. But I really wish I had just a little bit more of an Upholder in me.

I rejoined WW recently (formerly Weight Watchers, but apparently Oprah didn’t like that name) and at yesterday’s meeting, where I surprisingly had lost 2 pounds, the topic was reset.  Reset? I know all about reset, I do it almost daily!  So I am going to make an easier commitment.

For the next 90 days I am going to use Rachel Cruze’s new book, The Contentment Journal, and write even just a few words about the days prompt and my response during breakfast, which I guess means I will be a day behind because I don’t see myself stopping right now and doing the first day’s entry because I need to water my flowers, finish cutting out the apron’s for Father’s Day I have promised to make for a friend of my middle daughter’s (actually her friend since age 4 or thereabouts), clean my house up after a whirlwind declutter yesterday evening for my granddaughter’s theatre group’s garage sale, walk my dog, and help DH make burritos (both breakfast and regular).  Sometime I need to run down and see my almost 90-year old mom at her assisted living facility (the one I retired from) and whatever else pops up today.

I want to do this for me.  I hate to think I am going to get to the end of my life having never kept a commitment to myself.  I’m 61 now and in 7 months I will turn 62.  C’mon Cheryl you can do this…it’s only 90 days!