I have never been shy about labeling myself a commitmentphobe. People always associate me as a decisive person since I’m generally the leader in a group, but ask me to make a personal decision, and I’ll be vacillating until my next birthday. And it’s not that I don’t know. Yes, I know which shirt I want to buy, but once I buy it, then I’ve decided, and it’s ultimate, permanent, undoable.

Or I may be free, but I just don’t want to lock myself down. For example, my friend once asked me on a Thursday if I could get dinner on Saturday. Six hours later – though I read the message within a minute of receiving – I allowed myself to say yes. My friend then followed up with “6 PM at Ruby’s?” That’s too much; I can’t commit to that. (I just sat here brainstorming a different word than commit because redundancy, but commitment – that’s exactly the problem! No other synonym for it.)