The Four Agreements

Watched Don Miguel Ruiz with Oprah on Super Soul Sunday talking about his book, The Four Agreements. (If you have not read it, please get a copy.)

The Four Agreements are:
1. Be impeccable with your word.
2. Don't take things personally.
3. Don't make assumptions.
4. Always do your best.

Ruiz says 95% of what we believe about ourselves is a lie. Things we were told since childhood by our parent, teachers, the church, society. It's not you. He also asked a powerful question? How many times do we pay for one mistake? A thousand times. We punish oursleves over and over. And we also punish other people a thousand times for one mistake. This is where forgiveness comes into play. Forgiveness is not for them, it's for you. Let is go. No other creature does this. Animals make a mistake, do a correction and keep it moving.

What matters is what you think about you. You are the main character in your story just like they are the main character in their story. Stop trying to change people. You are not responsible for what other people understand.

You create false drama by making assumptions about someone else because you don't have the courage to ask questions. All the sadness you've experienced is rooted in making assumptions about the other person and taking it personally when everything goes wrong. First of all, that other person has no idea what you're assuming because you have not told them. Guess what? They can't read your mind. What may upset you may not be their intention and they don't know that it upset you.

Something to think about.