I will be calm in the noise and haste of my life and remember what peace there is in silence.  I will speak my truth quietly and clearly and listen to others.  The unfortunate and fortunate have their story to tell.  I will listen and learn from everyone. I will be cautious of loud and aggressive people; they can be harmful to my spirit.  To avoid envy or becoming vain and bitter, I will not compare myself to others.

I will be myself and not fake affection. I will embrace life, love, and joy.  I will not become cynical or disappointed about love, for love defeats hate.  As much as possible, without surrender, I will be kind, patient, helpful, and on good terms with everyone.  I will plan my life for the long-term, gracefully embracing the process of growing old by giving up the things of my youth.

I will choose to be responsible for my life and my values will be my foundation.  My human skills and technical skills are my greatest assets.  I will be proud of the work I do and will always strive to do my best and excel at what I do. I will humbly enjoy my accomplishments and embrace the value in completing my goals.

I will create my purpose, goals, and own the results of my decisions. My values and skills will get me through the good and bad times in my life.  I will exercise caution and common sense to avoid people that would use trickery and deceit against me.  I will prepare my mind and finances to overcome sudden misfortunes, which I know will happen to me unexpectedly during my lifetime.  However, I will not distress myself with fake images or imaginary fear that is born from unplanned events, fatigue, and loneliness.

I will remember and learn from my mistakes, regrets, and scars.  I will be brutely honest with myself so I can continuously learn and improve my character and reputation. I will be kind to myself, I have a right to be here. With all life’s shame, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. I will take care of myself, my family, friends, community, and country. I will strive for the freedom to live my best life and to become a better person.

My Pledge by Rick Macy.  Original Poem: Desiderata. by Max Ehrmann, 1927