Dear Dick,
I would like to start this with a short story, narrating things that bug me and that have happened to me that have helped me get to the point where I am today.
I am a person who believes in second chances, yet if the second time goes just like the first time, I am out. I have asked others for help and also scheduled time to talk about important things, and when it came down to meeting the person they never showed up. I tried to get a hold of them, but I couldn’t. I saw them later and they pretended nothing happened. We even re-scheduled the meeting again and they gave me their word. I was a little hesitant at first, but I gave them another chance.
The day of the meeting came and they never showed up. Now every time I cross paths with this person and others who have done the same thing to me, sadly, I don’t believe on their word. I don’t do it on purpose, but I lost respect of their word. Like people say, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. I surely don’t want to be a fool three times and be seen as someone who can be taken advantage of.
Lately, people have been over using their “words.” What I mean with this is that they will give their word out to others and they will not keep up with it. The worst part of this situation is that if you try to reach the person, they are nowhere to be found.
We live in a hectic world and everyone has many things coming at them at the same time and not everything can be done. That is totally understandable. However, it is always nice to give a call or let the other person know that you won’t be able to keep your word. That way you won’t lose credibility and you will still have respect.
Letting a person know that you can’t keep your word may sound difficult, but is as simple as talking. Our word is what gives us credibility as people, but once we break it is hard to build it back up. Do you believe a person who tells you one thing and runs and does the opposite? Chances are that you don’t believe what they say, and that is the same thing that can happen by not keeping our word.
Keeping our word can truly help our image, not physically, but what others see of us. Nobody wants to be known as the person who can’t keep their word, who is not responsible and respectful.
If you are like many people, you will say yes because you are embarrassed to say no, but think for a second, can you really do what is being asked of you? Saying no can be a hard thing sometimes, but it is just simply letting the other person know that you are too busy and can’t do what is being asked of you.
Sincerely,
Veronica Aguilera