I Promise Myself...the BEST

So…


Welcome to Day 5 of Promising Myself GOOD THINGS!!!! Forgive my overly excited attitude, but I had a great weekend, and it is snowballing into a wonderful Monday so far….

Promise Yourself
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature you meet.
To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you.
Christian D Larson

I Promise Myself to think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.


All our young lives, we are taught to do our best. Our parents tell us that in school, teachers ask that of us, coaches require it, if we play sports as a kid….

Do you notice how that changes as we get older? I remember as a kid, when I had a homework assignment to do, I would have to tell myself, “Take your time, don’t rush, do your best.” And I would. Because I know that was what was expected of me – and so I expected it of myself.

As a 31 year old, I find that more often than not, there are many tasks I attend to where I do not do my best, rather I do enough to ‘get by’. For instance, laundry. I hate laundry, I talk about the seething dislike for this chore that I have. And when I set out to do laundry, I am never telling myself to “do my best” or “take my time”. Nope. I am doing ONE load (just enough to have clean underwear and lil man clothes to wear for the week) – JUST enough to get by.

Even though I feel better when the house is clean and laundry is done, I only do enough of the chore to get by, rather than putting forth my best effort.

Thinking about this promise to myself, I wonder how many other things I only do to get by? Is the fact that I am an adult and I now have an actual choice in the matter, the reason that my standards have become lower? Because I am “allowed” to choose to not do my best? No parent standing over me, no coach hollering at me?

I have no intentions of being a perfectionist, but when did becoming an adult mean that you have to lower your standards of what constitutes your best efforts?

This gal is a powerful little pistol of spunk, and miracles happen when I give it my all. Why would I not choose to put that into practice 80% of the time?

Reflecting on this promise, I want to think of the best things. I want to work for the best companies. I live in the best town. I am involved in the best theater. I want to be friends with the best people. I want to have the best of everything, because I deserve it. And I deserve to give the world the best of me.

Today, I stop just ‘getting by’. Today, I will think of the best, work for the best, and expect only the best….so that I can be the best.

(And I am going to hire the BEST fucking laundry do-er EVER!!!!!!!!!!)

LMS