There’s those people in life who are constantly saying one thing and doing another. Giving you their word and then “forgetting”, getting too busy, pulling out or not showing up. Everybody knows someone, and everybody knows how frustrating it is when this becomes a continual occurrence with that person.

“You’re going to come across people in your life who will say all the right words at all the right times. But in the end, it’s always their actions you should judge them by. It’s actions, not words, that matter.” 
― Nicholas Sparks, The Rescue

It’s easy for us to know someone else, who is always letting us down with broken promises and failed actions. But turn it around for a minute…do a good self-evaluation. How often do you keep your word? …as the quote above says, “people in your life will say all the right words at the right times.” It’s so easy to say you will do something in the heat of the moment, or to satiate someone and make them happy. But if you don’t intend on doing it, don’t say you will. There’s nothing wrong with saying NO. Infact your credibility depends on it. If you continue to fail your word, your credibility among friends and family will come crashing down.

“Your reputation and integrity are everything. Follow through on what you say you’re going to do. Your credibility can only be built over time, and it is built from the history of your words and actions.” — Maria Razumich-Zec

There’s two things I am going to take from this and change:

1. I am no saint either. While I am concious of this and do my very best to keep my word, I am aware that I still let people down from time to time. Starting today, if I don’t intend on doing it, I will not tell people I will. Saying no is definitely a weakness of mine, and is something I intend on improving.
2. I have a few people in my life who’s word doesn’t mean much to me any more. From now on, I will not be going out of my way to make time for these people, because chances are they will pull through, leaving me disappointed, out of pocket or wasting my time.

 

“He is not wise to me who is wise in words only, but he who is wise in deeds.” -St. Gregory