I have always been reluctant to make promises. I don’t like to see myself in a situation where I’ve fallen short of my commitment. When I was in banking operations, we were advised that there were two approaches to dealing with customers: over-promise and under-deliver, or under-promise and over-deliver. The former leads to unsatisfied or even irate customers, while the latter leads to customer delight. I think the second approach struck a chord with my temperament, and I adopted it in every situation in my life.
I don’t like to carry the burden of a promise, as it stresses me out and even affects the task at hand. I may perform the task to the best of my knowledge and abilities, but don’t put me in a situation where non-performance shakes my confidence or takes me down a guilt trip!
At times, I feel it is a trait of being risk-averse or even a coward, as challenging ourselves often pushes our limits and keeps us on our toes. So, have I become complacent? Well, I do prefer my comfort zone! Gone are the days when I used to be ambitious, but making certain promises for my health and growth may be a valuable idea.
So, I decided to make certain promises to myself (still not ready to overpromise to others!)
I promise myself that I will take care of myself–
physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
I promise myself that I will refill my cup,
Before I instinctively pour others’ cups
I promise myself that I will pause when needed,
and take the time to listen to my body
I promise myself that I will let my heart heal
and not judge myself for the time it needs
I promise myself that I will not chase anything or anyone
I’ll release what goes and embrace what comes
I promise myself that I will love and accept myself
And let my faith deepen in the plan of the Universe.
I promise myself that I will flow with life
No regrets, no resistance, no ego or pride
©Vandana Bhasin
11.11.2025