We are all creatures of habit, operating by a belief system that we never chose to believe in the first place. Our belief system is like a Book of Law that rules our mind. Often these beliefs may not all be empowering but adhering to them makes us feel safe. Besides, we unwittingly agreed to all of them, bound by our own agreement of fear.

The biggest fear that drives us is not the fear of death but taking the risk to be alive.
We’re constantly trying to measure up to other people’s views and expectations of us. Our perception of perfection is based on this input and we find we cannot forgive ourselves for not being perfect. So we pretend to be that, which we are not.

In the course of our lives, we enter into agreements with innumerable others – with God, society, parents, spouses, siblings and our children. However, our most important agreements are with ourselves, where we are bound by our own sense of inadequacy. All are fear-based agreements!

In his book THE FOUR AGREEMENTS, Don Miguel Ruiz urges us to replace these fear-based agreements with love-based agreements. His prescription for an empowered life is to adopt the Four Agreements.
 
The First Agreement is – Be Impeccable With Your Word.

It is through your word that you manifest everything. So speak with integrity and don’t say anything that you don’t mean. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love and avoid speaking against yourself or others.

The Second Agreement is – Don’t Take Anything Personally.

We’re often bruised by what people say about us. Just remember that their opinion is a projection of their own reality. Imagine the level of freedom you earn when you make it a habit not to place your trust in someone else’s bitter opinion of you!

The Third Agreement is – Don’t Make Assumptions.

We suffer due to the assumptions we make.  Afraid to seek clarifications, we assume things that are untrue. Often we assume our partners know what we think because they know us so well. And when we discover they don’t, we feel hurt.

The Fourth Agreement is – Always Do Your Best.

Your best is going to change from moment to moment but no matter what the circumstance, simply do your best. Even something as basic as taking a shower becomes a beautiful experience when you give that moment your very best. 

Don Miguel Ruiz exposes the stranglehold of self-limiting beliefs and shows the way to living life with joy. This is a book you would never want to part with, not only for the beauty of its simple message and language but because it offers you a roadmap to freedom and happiness.

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