The Four Agreements

Does anybody here live by the Four Agreements? 

For anybody who is unfamiliar with them, they are ~

1. Be impeccable with your word

2. Don’t take anything personally 

3. Don’t make assumptions 

4. Always do your best 

and a later addition ~ 

5. Be skeptical but learn to listen. 

They are all based on Toltec Wisdom. 

I’m currently re-reading book one, The Four Agreements, and after a few more re-reads I’ll move on to some re-reads of the Fitth Agreement. 

It is said that if all of society practiced just one of the agreements, the world would change ~ but why stop at one? 

I love reading the books, they don’t teach me anything I don’t know but I love the way the author describes how a person can live by the five agreements and live in perfect bliss and happiness. 

With this book, there’s no need to understand the underlying laws that support these agreements but they can help a person to achieve perfect bliss regardless. 

I know plenty of people who have read the book but I don’t know anybody who practices the agreements, who has made a commitment to them in their everyday lives. 

What other inspiring books are people reading? 

Parents
  • ...Greetings. This is my own reply to a perhaps interesting Thread.

    1. Be impeccable with your word

    (Yes, I do this.)

    2. Don’t take anything personally

    (Learn to relax: Against strangers, they do not know you! -  E.G. - The worst may say:  "Your Mother is a @$#+!#&$@&=!&&@!..." ... To which the thought/reply might be <> "...Is that so, really? Do you even know my name?"

    3. Don’t make assumptions

    (Yes, I do this yet do not impose them. I just run away...)

    4. Always do your best

    (No, I cannot always do this due to various illnesses, but that is just me. Apart from that, I would say, if it "fails" then protest and/or learn from it. Argue one's position, yet see the other opposing point of view, always!)

    and a later addition ~ 5. Be skeptical but learn to listen.

    (This is 2, 3, and 4 again in a way.)

  • You haven’t understood the meaning of always doing your best DC ~ your best might be lying on your back doing nothing although your perceived idea of what you ‘think’ your best should be, some high goal or standard you’ve set yourself, but that isn’t your best, that’s just your idea of what you believe your best should be. 

    Be impeccable with your word means never saying a bad word to yourself about yourself, which then extends outwards to other people. 

    Don’t take anything personally, because it’s neber about you. What someone thinks of you is not about you, it’s their perception of you based on their values and beliefs which has nothing to do with you at all. When we know that, it’s not possible to take anything personally. 

    Not making assumptions is probably the hardest to conquer but it’s fun trying and very enlightening. 

    And number 5 which is most important, never  take anybody’s word for anything even if you had Jesus Christ stood in front of you telling you a story. Wisdom only has value when it comes from within. 

Reply
  • You haven’t understood the meaning of always doing your best DC ~ your best might be lying on your back doing nothing although your perceived idea of what you ‘think’ your best should be, some high goal or standard you’ve set yourself, but that isn’t your best, that’s just your idea of what you believe your best should be. 

    Be impeccable with your word means never saying a bad word to yourself about yourself, which then extends outwards to other people. 

    Don’t take anything personally, because it’s neber about you. What someone thinks of you is not about you, it’s their perception of you based on their values and beliefs which has nothing to do with you at all. When we know that, it’s not possible to take anything personally. 

    Not making assumptions is probably the hardest to conquer but it’s fun trying and very enlightening. 

    And number 5 which is most important, never  take anybody’s word for anything even if you had Jesus Christ stood in front of you telling you a story. Wisdom only has value when it comes from within. 

Children
  • You haven’t understood the meaning of always doing your best DC ~ your best might be lying on your back doing nothing although your perceived idea of what you ‘think’ your best should be, some high goal or standard you’ve set yourself, but that isn’t your best, that’s just your idea of what you believe your best should be. 

    Greetings, Miss Bluey-Shiny Person... (!)

    I prefer not to regret Replying in this way, yet...

    As you further detail the 4 -5 Agreements, I only attempt detail regarding what I mean by "Illnesses". For example: I am in a situation or just doing something such as conversing. All of a sudden - Bam - I can no longer say another word, and must retreat, despite all things going good and well. Why? Because I cannot breathe - I have had an Asthma Attack. 

    When I return to some situations, they are no longer present. The outcome is not necessarily bad, but I myself had to quit at the time, or else literally drop dead...

    So, I see, "doing one's Best" is in its base sense (as offered?)... simply staying alive...! (Sorry for a Long-ish Post, there.)

  • You’ll love the book then Song, it explains it much better than I can. I have it in audio book format as well and if you play it while you’re asleep, it even sinks in while you’re sleeping! It’s one of those books that you’ll be reading over and over again for the rest of your life.

    The be impeccable with your word one is so beautiful. It teaches you to always treat yourself with the upmost respect, compassion, love, acceptance etc in such a way that it’s just a natural thing to then treat others that way, which naturally leads to not taking things personally and the other two. 

    It’s really a very beautiful book and it is life transforming once you start applying the lessons  in your life. Counselling is history, these kinds of transformational teachings are where it’s at X

  • Don’t take anything personally, because it’s neber about you. What someone thinks of you is not about you, it’s their perception of you based on their values and beliefs which has nothing to do with you at all. When we know that, it’s not possible to take anything personally. 

    Wow no one has ever explained the taking things personally thing to me like that before, they have just yelled at me not to take comments that are personal to me so personally. If it had ever been explained live that i could have understood a lot more. I think you may have just helped my life more than 35 years of counselling has xx