The Four Agreements

Usually around the 3:00 p.m. time a few of us ladies at work begin to chat. I am sure it's at this time that we feel a mental crash coming and have this insatiable need to release energy and share in notable dialog. The chatters normally include, Ally a young lady; I believe she is 23, Racheal who is about 37 and I who recently turned 32. It's interesting how we learn from each other and caution one another from making certain decisions based on experience. It's also interesting how regardless of our age, heritage, race and experiences we all go through the same thing.

One day, around 3:15 or so; we started our chatter. The energy was low. We three were feeling defeated at work. This is when Racheal shared something so profound with me. "Elizabeth, have you read The Four Agreements, by: Don Miguel Ruiz?" "Nope. Never heard of it." She then shared an email that I believe is about to transform my life. The email discussed the 4 agreements. Oh and what's better is that these are agreements made from within, they are just for us. Not an agreement with Hubby, or Friend, or Sister or Mother. An internal agreement to help promote peace and order:

agreement 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.

agreement 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.

agreement 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.

agreement 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.
 
Beneath the agreements must lay a foundation, in my opinion. That foundation is the ability to be REAL with oneself. You can't keep your word if you don't have a word. Did you get that? If you are a flaky person who lives in a facade you cannot use these agreements, because you haven't agreed to tell the truth to yourself about yourself. But for those of us who live outloud and know who we are has nothing to do with what we have or what people think, these agreements could be life changing.
 
Resolve to know self and agree on how you will go forward in this thing called life.