The Four Agreements

I recently overheard someone talking about four agreements to better your life. I ended up asking this person to e-mail them to me because I wanted to examine them farther. Here they are:

Author: Don Miguel Ruiz

BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD

Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY

Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS

Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST

Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

These rules seem very simple, but I think once you get down to it they are much more complicated. Be impeccable with your word, well, since I suffer from the problem of saying what is on my mind this one is a little easier for me. I am honest, and sometimes bluntly. Some love it and some hate it. One thing I can work on is gossip, I try and avoid it but for some reason drama is sometimes unavoidable.

Don't take anything personally. This could be good or bad. If someone insults you, you can easily say "hey dude, that's your opinion" and not take it personally. But then if someone compliments you, the same thing can apply. "Hey dude, that's your opinion" means you do not take the compliment...and I have enough problems with that anyway. Taking things personally is a problem I do have sometimes and will worker harder to avoid.

Don't make assumptions, ah yes, another thing I must work in, easier said than done. I always assume the worst, that way if it is not as bad as it seems, I am happy instead of being disappointed the other way around. I need to ask more questions before assuming. Guessing what people mean or are feeling always ends badly and remember to assume is to make an ass out of u and me.

Always do your best, not a problem. I try to do my best at everything I do. Hence graduating college with honours, working 2 positions at work and still getting all my work done, 3rd place in Canada for a violin competition, co-captain of my gaming team within just over a month of being recruited. If I'm going to do anything worth doing, I'm going to at least give it my all!!

Always improve your life in some way.

Work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching.