The Four Agreements

My fav book is called The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Riuz. (which has been on the New York Times best seller list for 8 years now) I read it for the first time after high school and it changed my life. I bought it for my brother for his graduation and he read it in 2 days. I thought these principles would really help him on the mission, and I pray they have/will. I try and re read it once a year, just to keep it fresh. I thought I'd share some of it with ya'll.

The book talks about that while growing up we began to make agreements based upon the way other people reacted to us and their opinions of us. When we did what our parents wanted us to do we were rewarded and when we didn't we were punished, sometimes emotional and sometimes physical. We began to make agreements in our mind of who we should and shouldn't’t be. And began to form "truths" in our minds, agreements. From that time on we learned to live our lives based on those agreements that we made in our own minds. We make choices and the life we live is driven more by the opinions from others than one we would choose on our own.

It seems like each time I read this book it speaks to me in a different way. I got different things from it when I was single, married (the sequel is called, The Mastery of Love and is amazing) and once I had children. I have been able to learn how to be a better friend, neighbor, citizen and human. I continue to work on the principles of the Toltec people. I am not perfect, but I do feel that my life is better and less stressful when I am living by these 4 agreements.

And the Four Agreements are:

1. 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.

2.Don’t Take Anything Personally: Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of them. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

3. 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.

4. 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.