The Four Agreements
Douglas Karr
Tonight I was chatting with friend, Jules. Jules passed on some wisdom from the book, The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz & Don Jose Luis Ruiz.
As with most advice, it’s pretty basic, but difficult to put into practice. Our daily lives seems to push away our ability to keep things like this top of mind. Perhaps since it’s only four, we can achieve it, though!
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 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.
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.
Fantastic advice. I think I’ve got #1 down, #4 almost there… #2 I’m okay at, since I’m confident in myself. #3 needs some work! Thanks to Jules for passing this on! I have some work to do.
Definitely four attributes to strive toward. And, then directly relate to blogging.
The beginning of the book drags a bit, but once it gets into the “meat” of it, I was transfixed…and then transformed. If everyone could apply these principles, we would change the world.
Yes, I have been accused of being Pollyanna’ish……but it is a guiding factor in my life and one that is serving me well, especially today.
thanks a lot !
Saying bad things on internet is relatively easy. Just type in anything you want in the comments box …..
People don’t even think about what effect it might have on the blogger ….
“Think positive things about yourself and you will like yourself; think negative things and you will not like yourself.”
I am definately going to follow your advice
Good recommendation, Doug!
Marty Bird
Wild Birds Unlimited
http://www.wbu.com
If you are taking something personally then you are making an expression that goes against your self emotionally. This is not being impeccable. If you are making (creating in your mind ) assumptions that lead to disharmony then you are not being impeccable either.
The impeccable expression of your word also requires that you make assumptions impeccably, and that you don’t make expressions that cause you to take things personally.
At first read it appears that Being Impeccable is easier than the others. When you study the finer points you find out that living agreements #2,3, and 4 lead you to achieve Impeccability.
More detail about this at http://pathwaytohappiness.com/happiness/2007/01/19/be-impeccable-with-your-word/
Good luck,
Gary