à la carte spirit by ilona fried
commitment
Commitment: to Process or Outcome?
A few days ago I attended a women’s group focused on the theme of commitment. The word itself elicited various reactions, from excitement to a sense of burden or duty. One woman even referred to it as a curse. I smiled and nodded. Despite having written about this subject, hearing the word can still create … Continue reading
Commitment: Choice or Coercion?
Life has, again, presented me with an opportunity to write about commitment. Towards the end of June an acquaintance invited me to an event in Denver whose venue was capping the number of guests. It was unclear what the cap was and at what point it would be reached. If I wanted to attend, I … Continue reading
What does it mean to commit? Part II
My first post on commitment generated several comments and the topic is one I frequently ponder. In recent readings and listenings (of podcast interviews), I’ve gleaned a few snippets worthy of contemplation. Commitment occurs in a context, and for people who end up in an environment or relationship that is not conducive to their thriving, … Continue reading
Does “commitment” demand “sacrifice”?
My previous post on what it means to commit, and the comments it generated, has inspired further reflection. One view is that “commitment” requires “sacrifice”, a relinquishing of something else (presumably desirable) in order to honor the commitment. And our minds, conditioned to think in black and white, reinforce the idea of a tradeoff, which … Continue reading
What does it mean to “commit”?
I’ve been told by various people over the years, and most recently yesterday, that I can’t commit. I don’t know whether they are correct or not, but these folks seem to understand exactly what this means and, therefore, probably assume that I share their understanding. But I’m not sure I do, and I hope that … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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