BOOK
REVIEW
4
THE
BOOK REVIEW
AGREEMENTS A magical book about creating a stressfree life filled with personal growth.
by Brad Bowling
T
he recent CDC guideline of not having to wear a mask has only added to what some might consider a stress-filled existence. The pandemic brought with it family concerns and has created a new kind of worry for some people. That worry can be compounded when there is no outlet or apparent solution in place. The book The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom might be the perfect solution for those seeking an alternative to worry and anxiety. The book offers four simple principles to live by to reduce stress and simplify your lifestyle. For those who find it too literal, it is recommended you use what you can from the book and consider the rest advice.
agreement expresses a goal of only saying what we mean and to understand the damage we cause others when we are not careful with what we say. The goal is to leave people in a better position than when we found them. Sometimes we do not realize the power we have with just words. From 2016 to 2020 the political climate was based on people speaking carelessly, without compassion, and aggressively. This made some people’s anxiety level skyrocket and it made others self-isolate. This book can help return a sense of balance and connection. Agreement 2: Do Not Take Anything Personally
For those who need to reset their focus and regain some direction for personal growth, this book can be a guide for doing just that. The Four Agreements offers lessons on life, patience, and persistence. The book offers readers a chance to create boundaries for how they live and interact with the world. These new boundaries will reshape the mind and refocus the heart.
What This Means: Living in a world filled with cancel culture and to not take what someone says personally can be tough. Agreement 2 deals with the understanding that other people’s actions are a reflection of them only. We cannot let another’s opinion be the reason we feel bad about ourselves.
If there is any downside to the book, it’s that some people might take the book’s directions too literally. That could lead to extreme behavior and make one’s decision-making worse. If you determine that what the book recommends is in alignment with your own beliefs, you should find the book helpful.
The book goes on the explain that everyone has bias because no opinion is truly objective. Our experiences shape our beliefs and therefore our opinions. Agreement 2 wants us to be aware that all advice is not good advice, and any advice must be tempered with the understanding that how people view themselves is how they will view the world. Take their advice with a grain of salt.
Here are the Four Agreements and how to interpret them. Agreement 1: Be Impeccable with Your Word What this means: Agreement 1 highlights avoiding gossip, empty promises, lies, and the ways we cause harm with our own words. The first
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Agreement 2 also suggests that we should not take ourselves so seriously. We need to learn to become less reactive, reduce our defensiveness, not be as retaliatory, and to work to maintain a healthy balance in our lives. Developing these patterns will reduce negativity in our lives and help us create a more positive outcome.
