THE FOUR AGREEMENTS
Allan’s summary of these important tools from Miguel Ruiz

The Toltec Nagual (Shaman) don Miguel Ruiz offers his apprentices these four simple yet profound agreements as important tools on the path to personal freedom. Anyone can use these wonderful tools to break their self-limiting beliefs and agreements from the past and transform their lives into a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love. These new agreements have the potential to help you move your attention from what the world thinks you "should" do or be to what you know is right for you, reclaim scattered personal energy and power, and open up to a deeper intimacy in personal relationships.

Be Impeccable With Your Word. Our words, our thoughts, and our feelings all contribute to the creation of our reality. Our word is a two-edged sword, it can create or it can destroy. To be impeccable is to create with conscious awareness and love. The human mind is fertile ground for the seeds that are our word. Plant the seeds of love, not fear. Judging, blaming, shaming, and especially gossiping create poison in ourselves and others. This agreement alone is enough to break all of our old agreements and change the dream of our life.

Don't Take Anything Personally. Other people's reactions and opinions are simply other people's reactions and opinions. They are having their own experience and none of it has anything to do with you -- it does not make you wrong, guilty, bad, unworthy, famous, loveable, or important. You only take them personally when you agree with their poison. If you are "triggered" by someone or they "push your buttons," they have touched a wounded place in you. Become aware of the emotional wound they have exposed for you, be grateful for their help, and take responsibility for your healing of your wound.

Don't Make Assumptions. Our minds have the need to "know." When we don't know, we make assumptions -- they make us feel safer than not knowing. To imagine that you know what someone else is thinking is an assumption. To imagine that you can know or control the future or another person's actions is an assumption. Expectations are assumptions. In making assumptions, we create our reality without respect for another's truth or experience. To avoid assumptions, ask questions. It takes courage to trust the present moment, to allow other people to be exactly who they are, and to let life unfold according to its own plan... and it avoids a great deal of suffering

Always Do Your Best. Your best changes from moment to moment, sick or well, tired or rested. Remember that you are an imperfect human being. We can extend to ourselves and to others compassion for our human-ness and reverence for our divinity. There is no value to judging yourself for "failing" -- and no truth to it either. When you are not impeccable, when you take something personally, or make an assumption, you are still doing your best, and you are still a beloved child of Spirit. Agree to always do your best, with love and acceptance for the imperfect divine human that you are.

From: The Four Agreements — A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom.
A Toltec Wisdom Book by Miguel Ruiz.