If you say ‘I promise myself I won’t do such and such’ is this subject to the rules of a vow/oath you make to Allah, even if your intention was to make a firm resolution rather than a proper promise?
What is meant by an oath or vow is committing oneself before Allah, may He be exalted, to do something. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
A vow is a type of oath, and every vow is an oath. So when the one who makes a vow says: I owe it to Allah to do such and such, it is the same as his saying: I swear by Allah that I will surely do such and such. What is implied by these two phrases is the committing oneself before Allah to do that action". (Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa 35/258).
Another form of oath or vow is making a promise to Allah, may He be exalted, such as saying: I promise Allah that I shall do such and such. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:
"Promises and pledges are similar, or the same, in meaning. So if someone says: I promise Allah that I shall do Hajj this year, this is a vow, a pledge and an oath".
See the answer to question no. 38934 .
But making a promise to oneself is not regarded as a kind of vow or oath; Rather it is a statement of one’s resolve and decision to do that deed.
And Allah knows best.
