In his book The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz describes four guidelines which we can practice to create more freedom, happiness and love in our lives. The Four Agreements are:

1.Be Impeccable with your Word

• Speak with integrity.
• Say only what you mean. 
• Be truthful.
• Avoid speaking against yourself or gossiping about others. 
• Say things that have a positive influence on yourself and others.

2. Don’t Take Anything Personally

• As each person sees the world in a unique way, what others say and do is a projection of their own way of thinking.  
• By not taking anything personally, you acknowledge the unique identities of other people. 
• You respect their subjective realities, realizing that their views do not necessarily describe you accurately.  
• When you are not influenced by the opinions and actions of others, you will suffer less. 

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 and drama. 
• Ask for evidence before concluding what people are thinking. In this way, you avoid mind reading which could be wrong and lead to undesirable consequences. 

4. Always Do Your Best

• By doing your best under any circumstance, you are more likely to achieve your goals.
• You are also more likely to avoid self-judgment and regret.
• In doing “your best”, try not to push yourself too hard. This could cause pain, injury and mistakes. 
• Also, recognize that your “best” may vary from moment to moment.
• Your best when you are healthy may be different from your best when you are ill.  
• To a certain extent, you are always doing your best. Realizing this, your inner critique can take a permanent vacation.  

Reference Ruiz, Miguel Angel (1997) The Four Agreements: A practical guide to personal freedom. San Rafael, California: Amber-Allen Publishing Inc.

Submitted by Wally Lazaruk, May 2019