The first agreement: Make your word impeccable

This for me, meant that we should not gossip and should only say good things as what goes around, comes around. It also means that you should not talk yourself down by telling yourself that you are stupid or you did a bad job. It is by talking to yourself positively that you will make yourself loved and be loved.

The second agreement: Don't take it personally

I understood this to mean that everyone is in their own world and while you can't expect others to come and live by your rules and understanding, you should also not allow yourself to be dragged into theirs. This was the most liberating for me.

The third agreement: Don't make assumptions

Another favourite of mine. It was only when I really thought about this one, that I realised how much I do it and how just as the author said, I have taken my assumptions to be truth even though I have absolutely no evidence to base them on other than my breaking agreement two by taking it personally.

This was not as hard to break as I thought. Every time I start to assume, I have been able to stop myself and let the feeling go.

The fourth agreement: Always do your best

This was particularly interesting for me, as I am known for pushing myself to breaking point because I always feel I am not doing enough. What struck me most was that doing your best meant not doing less than your best but also not doing more, as this will burn you out. It is all about the balance.

My favourite and "never-heard-a-truer-saying" quote from the book was:

All the sadness and drama you have lived in your life was rooted in making assumptions and taking things personally.

This is just a taster of the book and I feel you have to read it once, put it aside and then read it again in a months time. You will get more from it each time and since it is a small book, it is perfect for those who are not avid readers.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!