By Leo Babauta

There’s a energy to our phrase that may be very usually 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 method we see that is that we frequently don’t honor our phrase to ourselves.

In his great ebook, The 4 Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz places “Be impeccable together with your phrase” as the primary and most necessary 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 would possibly 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 provide within the subsequent day and eat a bunch of ice cream and cookies.
• We are saying we’re going to work on a significant venture, 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 examine our telephones or e mail.

None of that is “dangerous,” and it could 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 truly observe by way of 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 every little thing.

Let’s take a look at find out how to develop the facility of our phrase to ourselves.

The Apply 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 undoubtedly do. And observe by way of on each single promise, time 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 of not doing it. My coach says in case you’re a guardian, you don’t even query whether or not you’re going to feed your youngsters or not — it’s a dedication you don’t query. Deal with your commitments to your self in the identical method — unquestionable.

Whenever you do it, acknowledge your self for honoring your phrase to your self. It is a victory to be celebrated. Even when it’s a tiny victory, it’s necessary.

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 do you have to go to tougher ones. As an alternative of promising to jot down for an hour, promise to jot down for five or 10 minutes. As an alternative of attempting 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 facility of your phrase, it is going to change into one thing you don’t query. After which your phrase will probably be like a robust magic spell you possibly can forged anytime it’s good to make magic occur.