Book Review: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel

Just finished listening audiobook The FOUR Agreements. This is a must read book and by far the best book I read in 2015. 

Here is some key take aways from the book:

Don explains how to rewire our belief system so that we can create a new world for ourselves -- a new perspective of the world around us and of ourselves.

In the first chapter, Domestication and the Dream of the Planet, Don sets the stage for the book and explains how the world we're living in is nothing more than a dream world that we've been domesticated to believe is real and unchangeable. In the book, an "agreement" is a rule that we hold as absolute truth. We have thousands of agreements in life, from the agreement that these words are English, to the agreement that gravity pulls things down.

Don presents us with four agreements that he says will change our lives if we adopt them. Each of the four agreements presented reinforce the previous. The four agreements are:

Be impeccable with your word

Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

Don't take anything personally

Nothing others do is because of you. What other say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

Don't make assumptions

Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

Always do your best

Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy, as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse, and regret.

The last two chapters of the book discuss how to let go of fear and doubt and adopt these teachings. He discusses various techniques that the ancient Toltec's used and how other cultures around the world still follow similar teachings as were taught by the Toltec.