The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz is a tough yet inspiring book. The four agreements are:
1: Be impeccable with your word.
2: Don't take any thing personally.
3: Don't make assumptions.
4: Always do your best.
Now, it is very to go about your day doing your best, but the other three are a lot harder.
Number three for instance, don't make assumptions, or don't judge a book by its cover. We are all guilty of this one, we look at a person, and we hear about foods that different cultures eat, or we don't want to try anything new because it's just not for us. We are making assumptions about people, and things that we don't really know anything about. But if you actually took the time to talk to new people, ate new things and tried new things your life would be virtually transformed by these new experiences.
Try number two don't take anything personally. This is pretty hard and we all know it but nothing people do is because of you. It is their personal choice. What they say and do is a projection of themselves not you, so you do not need to feel bad because of their opinions or actions. A lot of people cause themselves needless suffering because they take everything personally.
Last but not least, be impeccable with your word. If you say you are going to do something-do it, don't lie or gossip about other people. Remember how you speak affects other people and you should always speak the truth, even if you know it will get you into trouble.
So the morale of the story is take life by the horns, eat those Bull's Balls and admit to the world that you really did enjoy them. And the people that assume that you are lying, well that's their problem.
