Power of Slow

Don Miguel Ruiz rocks. He’s shamanic. He’s magical. He is oh-so-wise.

In a book entitled The Four Agreements, Ruiz outlines ancient Toltec wisdom in doable steps that anyone can follow. In thinking about his wise words recently, I realized you could look at his agreements through the lens of Slow.

#1 Be impeccable with your word.

Slow says: if you say you are going to do something, do it. You are really only as credible as the word you give. If you find you cannot after all, let the person know. Promises are meant to be kept ~ or at least renegotiated when life takes a turn.

#2 Don’t take anything personally.

Slow says: when someone responds to you in a negative way, it is about the triggers that exist within that person, not you. Life is about action and reaction. Take personal responsibility for what you create. Say “I’m sorry” when appropriate. Expect the best of others. If they don’t accept your apology, it’s their loss. Period.

#3 Don’t make assumptions.

Slow says: expectation management is everything, but even then, people might not hear you the way you think. When things don’t go according to plan, don’t assume the worse about another person. Chances are he or she wasn’t thinking. Forgive.

#4 Always do your best.

Slow says: perfection is nonexistent. Doing your best today might look different than tomorrow. Some days you are up. Some days you are down. You are okay just as you are.

You’ve been given this life for a reason. You might not know it yet, but you are destined for great things. Live by these four rules and I promise that your life will be fabulous beyond measure.

I’m ready to embrace that kind of life with you. We are on this journey together so remind me when I fumble and I’ll do my best to do the same for you. Agreed?