Keeping Your Own Promises

There are promises we make to ourselves, and when you find yourself unable to keep your own promises, then something is wrong.

photo: Brad Pitt

It is important to keep promises in life. I mean, why make them if you don’t intend to keep them? This is especially true for those that we make to ourselves. We have to keep them. It is a shame when we fail to.

You can promise yourself many things. You can say that you will eat more nutritional foods, exercise more, stop smoking, drink less alcohol, be more optimistic in life, etc. The list is endless. Usually, when a person makes this promise to himself, it is a sign that he is aware of what he wants out of life, and is willing to change.

All of that is good, but it is best to actually keep those promises. What good is it to make them and fail to keep them for yourself? You have to be the type of person who takes promises, especially those made to oneself, seriously. Very seriously, as in life and death serious. That’s when you can grow and mature as an individual.

Teach Your Children the Realities of Life

"Pangarap ng isang magulang na ibigay ang lahat sa kanyang mga anak" (Parents always wanted to give the best for their children). "Walang masama roon". (There's nothing wrong with that). As much as we would like to pamper our kids, it’s also important to teach them life lessons. But, it is our obligation not to spoil them.

photo: Pakoy and friends

"Darating ang panahon na matututo na manghingi ng pera sa atin ang ating mga anak para pambili ng pangangailangan niya". (Time will come that your child will asks you for money to buy something). Will you give him/her a hard time and refuse? If so, then you’ll be under his/her control.

You have to teach them something as well as give them the money. Of course there are times when you just give them because you want to, but also make time to teach them the value of the money you are giving them. "Sabihin mo sa kanila na gaano kahirap sa iyo at sa ibang magulang ang kumita ng pera" Tell them how you and other parents earn such money, and make them understand that one day they too will need to make a living for themselves.

Huwag na nating antayin na maging binata at dalaga sila, bago makahawak ng pera". (You ought not hold up until they are old enough to try and get it into their hands). "Hanggat bata pa sila, paliwananagan na natin". (Let them know now while they are young)

Be frank to tell them that you are giving them cash on the grounds that you did that and that to get it. Let them know that if you were not around, they would have needed to work for it. Simply tell them now of the present realities of life.