Promises

I love Robert Frost, always been one of my favorite poets.  I love this poem in particular.  I love it yes, because of the whole road less traveled thing...I am notoriously all about marching to your own drummer.  I love this part of the poem the most.  Maybe because I am very big on promises.  Sadly, I noticed a weird trend lately and was reminded today,

It was a crazy week.  Could not get out of work at the end of day to make it to the gym until today.  Actually because of the crazy week each morning getting up at 4 has been less then a stellar option.  I am currently doing the Summer Running Streak from Runner's World and I am really trying to get back to very consistent workouts and better eating.  I made a promise to myself to get back to blogging and to log data in My Fitness Pal as well as continue my fitness.  I know what you may be thinking...great you only promised yourself.  Lucky you; no one to disappoint if you push the alarm clock back,  That is not really true.  I will disappoint someone.  There will not be a big discussion with someone or justifications needed, but I will let someone down,  That someone is me.  The promise is to myself for myself.

Later in the day I was leaving work,  It is so hot and I am so tired.  A friend said are you headed to the gym.  I said "yes I have to.  I promised myself I would strength train a minimum of two times a week.  I have to work late tomorrow, I need a rest day between.  So today is my last option or I will break my promise."  My friend looked at me strangely.  "You know a promise to yourself doesn't matter.  You won't get in trouble breaking it."  Then they said what I think we have all come to believe. "It is not like you promised someone important."

I know she did not mean I am not important.  I know she meant it is not like I told our boss or something like that.  How sad that the prevailing thought is we are the least important people we should be accountable to.  I am not sure when that happened.  I think it does explain why so many folks who try to get healthier say "I want to be there for my kids.  I promised my husband I would lose weight. Etc."  I think we have gotten to a point where either we don't think we are worth keeping promises to or we have become comfortable that just promising ourselves means I will do it if I feel like it, but if I don't who will know?

I made it to the gym.  Tomorrow is Friday the last day to be up at 4 in the morning this week.  I will be up at 4 because  I too have some miles to go before I sleep, or while everyone else is.