03 Jan Living Right In 2018 – New Year’s Great Opportunity

Living Right

The best resolution you can make for 2018 is a commitment to living right. There is constant pressure to please others around us. But, most people do not stop and think “mmm, but what do I want?” Our generation is focused on everything around us, but no one is truly focused on themselves. This can create a downward spiral of negative thoughts that can consume the mind, which leads to unhealthy and unhappy living. But what is the key to living right?

The Four Agreements

The cornerstone in The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz, is living right. Ruiz states that there are ‘four agreements’ on how to live a positive healthy life.

The Four Agreements Are:

1) ‘Be impeccable with your word’
2) ‘Don’t take anything personally’
3) ‘Don’t make assumptions’
4) ‘Always do your best.’

Now some of you may be thinking “is this what’s going to make life perfect?” or “this is common sense!” But how many of you actually think about these concepts on a day to day basis?

The First Agreement: (Living Right by Your Word)

Let’s discuss the first agreement; ‘be impeccable with your word’. This is something that is very overlooked in this day and age. Have you ever caught yourself after an argument with someone, or after a negative conversation with someone and have thought to yourself “crap, I shouldn’t have said that.” This is exactly what Ruiz is referring to. Ruiz states that your harsh words are compared to “black magic” because once these words are said you cannot take them back. You can apologize but your words will never be forgotten.

The Second Agreement: (Living Right by Not Being Too Sensitive)

The second agreement Ruiz states is ‘don’t take everything personally’. This is a concept that may be hard for some people. Living in this day and age everyone takes everything personally. Whether it’s politics, religion, social media, work, school somehow everything is taken personally. If you are constantly taking everything to heart you can never live without fear, and that is hardly living right. All of a sudden you are the prey predators prey on; don’t live in fear. You are in control. Do not let others control your emotions and sense of power; hold onto that and let that drive you.

The Third Agreement: (Living Right by Being Fair)

The third agreement Ruiz states is ‘don’t make assumptions.’ Okay, now we have all been accused of, or can admit to making assumptions. This is a normal behavior that everyone takes part in. Instead of communicating and expressing our emotions we bottle it all in and think the worst. This is most prominent in romantic relationships. A partner in a relationship may feel awkward initiating an uncomfortable topic, which is why they will bottle it in and let it sink them. By not communicating we’re setting ourselves up for disaster in any kind of romantic or professional relationship.

The Fourth Agreement: (Living Right by Being Your Best)

The last, but certainly not least, agreement is to ‘always be your best.’ How many of you are rolling your eyes right now? Because when I first read this I had that same reaction. You’ve probably heard this from parents, teachers/professors, employers, and friends. But, how many of you have actually taken this phrase
seriously? Doing your best will be satisfying no matter what; you know you could not do any better or worse. It’s when we try to exceed our best or not reach our full potential is when we beat ourselves up. Some people will set themselves up for failure by not putting their full effort into their daily lives. The same goes for trying to exceed your maximum potential, because you will never be satisfied in this case. The key is to not do more or less than your best.

Now that you know all these agreements to living a healthier life, how do you put this into action? You start everyday with these four agreements, and, as each day goes on, consciously think to yourself “did I live by the four agreements today?” The best part about achieving this is that along the way you are going to go against one of these agreements. But, that’s okay because tomorrow is a new day. The Four Agreements isn’t your average book; it teaches you a life long lesson. Ruiz states “we stop ourselves from being free..”, so let’s break free and enjoy living right.

Written By:
Christina Scarane
Intern at Sirona Therapy