50 ‘I Don’ts’ You Should Agree On Before You Say ‘I Do’

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People make promises all the time, but they rarely keep them. Have you ever wondered why this is?

I have a few theories, but it all boils down to the fact that human beings are on the wrong side of lazy. Getting us to do anything, even for our own benefit, is often difficult.

Sometimes our failed promises are promises to ourselves. I’m sure most of you have promised to start eating healthier, to start exercising, and to start spending more time on what you should be doing. Most of you likely don’t get off your ass and do any of this.

Breaking promises to yourself is one thing. Breaking your promises to your partner, however, is another story. The promise may seem insignificant to you. To your partner, however, it means everything.

If people wised up, they’d realize that instead of promising action, they should promise inaction. We’d all be better off if we used laziness to our advantage instead of trying to break our habits.

Don’t promise “to do”; promise to “not do”. It may seem like a small difference, but even a fraction of difference makes a huge impact over the years.

Before you decide that you’re ready to say “I do,” it’s best that you’re sure you can promise these 50 “I don’ts.”

1. I don’t want us to become a routine.

2. I don’t want to stop trying to make you smile.

3. I don’t want to agree all the time, but I don’t want to argue for the sake of arguing, either.

4. I don’t want to stop going on dates with you.

5. I don’t want us to stop having “firsts.”

6. I don’t want us to stop being best friends.

7. I don’t want to stop going on adventures with you and exploring the world together.

8. I don’t want to stop being irresponsible with you; I don’t want us to stop being partners in crime.

9. I don’t want us to stop having adventurous sex.

10. I don’t want to stop reminding you how beautiful you are.

11. I don’t want to stop looking beautiful for you.

12. I don’t want us to stop caring.

13. I don’t want to lose you as my obsession.

14. I don’t want us to start needing to say “I love you” for us to recognize our love for each other.

15. I don’t want us to stop saying “I love you” — even when voicing the words it is no longer necessary.

16. I don’t want us to take each other for granted.

17. I don’t want to stop loving the way you smell.

18. I don’t want to stop loving the way you smile.

19. I don’t want to stop loving the way you make me feel every time you walk into the room.

20. I don’t want us to settle for less than all of our dreams.

21. I don’t want us to do everything together, but I don’t want us to stop wanting to do things together.

22. I don’t want to stop exciting you.

23. I don’t want to give up on us, no matter how difficult things may one day become.

24. I don’t want us to stop taking risks.

25. I don’t want us to stop being nervous around each other; to this day, you still make me sweat.

26. I don’t want to wake up one day and notice that you are no longer by my side.

27. I don’t want to make mistakes, even though I know I will.

28. I don’t want you to make mistakes, but I will forgive them.

29. I don’t want us to become stuck in our ways or to stop growing as individuals.

30. I don’t want to stop loving the way you love me.

31. I don’t need anything more than you in my life, because you are my everything.

32. But I don’t plan on ever stopping to pursue my dreams because I know you’ll be disappointed if I do.

33. (Just as I don’t ever want you to stop pursuing yours.)

34. I don’t want us to stop questioning life and the meaning of it all.

35. I don’t want us to stop philosophizing for hours.

36. I don’t want us to become bitter.

37. I don’t want us to become spiteful.

38. I don’t want us to lose track of the reasons we’re together.

39. I don’t want you to ever feel alone.

40. I don’t want you to forget that I’m here for you, no matter what.

41. I don’t ever want to stop being the person you lean on for support, the shoulder you dry your tears on.

42. I don’t want us to stop living in the moment.

43. But I also don’t want us to stop planning for the future — our future.

44. I don’t want to have to be the bad guy, but when it comes to our children, you can be the good guy.

45. I don’t want us not to grow old together.

46. I don’t want us to forget all that we’ve been through — both the good and the bad.

47. I don’t want to lose you, although one day I know I will.

48. I don’t want this to ever end, although that isn’t an option.

49. I don’t want you to be the first to go … because I wouldn’t survive losing you.

50. But I’d sooner lose you than have you go through the pain of losing me. Even though I’m sure I’ll quickly follow.