Below are the lessons I learned from The Four Agreements book by Don Miguel Ruiz. These Lessons from The Four Agreements can help us live with more awareness, freedom, and self-love.
1. Be Impeccable with Your Word
A word can create heaven or hell. A word can be white magic or black magic to someone. You can use words to send love to someone or to create hell for someone.
The author also talks about self-talk. He says everything you feel, believe, or say that goes against yourself is a sin. Do not use your words against yourself. Self-rejection is the biggest sin you can commit.
Always take responsibility for your actions and never blame or judge yourself.
2. Don’t Take Anything Personally
You are expressing your divinity by being alive and loving yourself and others. You do not need the acceptance of others.
If someone comes and tells you that you are stupid, they are pouring poison on you. Now you have a choice—to take it or not.
If you agree with them and think, “Maybe I am stupid,” it means they have caught you and you have taken their poison. If you get offended, react, fight back, or argue with them, it also means you have taken their poison.
What the author is telling us is that whatever they say is based on their own agreements and programming. It has nothing to do with us. They are trying to throw their emotional garbage at us, and we have a choice whether to accept it or not.
To be strong in this area, we must cultivate self-love. Be content with yourself, love yourself, and appreciate everything around you.
3. Don’t Make Assumptions
Never gossip. We must accept other people the way they are without trying to change them.
We should ask more questions and be clear instead of assuming we know about a situation. Always find your voice and ask for what you truly want.
4. Always Do Your Best
Doing your best means doing what you are able to do. It means not doing less and not overdoing.
Doing your best means taking action.
Do your best in cleaning the dishes, do your best in cleaning your home, do your best in bathing, and do your best in serving your family and community. Do your best in everything you do daily.
By doing your best, you live intensely. You become productive and you become better for yourself. You do things with love, not for reward.
When you do your best, you will have no regrets because you know you gave your best.
And when you do something with love and enjoyment, without attaching yourself to the reward, you may receive something even greater than you imagined.
The teachings in The Four Agreements were written by Don Miguel Ruiz. Learn more about the book here:
https://www.miguelruiz.com/the-four-agreements
If you enjoy reflections like this, explore more articles on my personal growth blog:
https://lashinianpalagan.com/blog