Keeping Promises to Ourselves

by Kori Rodley Irons | More from this Blogger

10 Nov 2007 04:47 PM

I like to operate on a reward system for myself. One of the ways I have discovered to keep myself motivated and encouraged is to promise myself rewards and "treats" at the end of a long week or after dealing with something particularly challenging (school conferences, filing taxes, paying bills, etc.) I think as single parents we have a tendency to keep our noses to the grindstone and we don't necessary follow through on celebrations and rewards and make positive promises to ourselves that we actually keep.

One of the things that we can learn as single parents is how to look after ourselves and how to actually "care" for ourselves. We don't have someone else stepping in to tell us we are doing a great job or take us out to dinner when we've had a particularly rough week so we can learn how to do those things for ourselves. Think of all the things you would like to do in your life-go back to school, start a garden, take a vacation, buy a house-whatever it might be. By making a promise to ourselves to stay true to our wants, wishes and dreams and then following through, we are doing some really great stuff.

So, if you have a rough week coming up, why not decide on a reward-dinner and a movie out, a new pair of shoes, or a night alone at home with a great movie. Make a promise to yourself and then keep it. Or, if you have always wanted to take a class, make a career change, or it is time to buy a new car-enter into a pact with yourself to make it happen and then think enough of your own desires and needs to make sure it happens. As single parents, we need to learn how to take good care of ourselves. If we do not, who will?

Also: Fun is Okay for a Single Parent Too

Cherish Yourself First (Don't Lose Yourself in Your Kids)

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