Don’t Make Assumptions

The Four Agreements of Don Miguel Ruiz have been on my mind lately as I prepare for my class next week on Embodying the Four Agreements. I’ve been particularly noticing the effects of the third agreement, “Don’t Make Assumptions” in my life and the lives of those around me.
This agreement seems more subtle to me than some of the other ones because many of the assumptions we make are buried in our belief system and operate without our awareness. Most people say they have the most difficulty with “Don’t Take Anything Personally,” but taking things personally is more obvious because we can generally see when we are reacting to something. If we have a negative reaction to something, we’re taking it personally. Making assumptions operates below the surface and affects how we see the world and what we believe we can and can’t do.  When we stop making assumptions about who we are and what we are capable of, then miracles can happen. When we stop making assumptions about what’s going to happen and how others will react if we try something, we can let go of the fear of trying it. There’s no reason not to try something. If it doesn’t work, you can try something else without judgment. The people with the most successes are also the people with the most failures. Don’t let fear hold you back from trying to create what you want. Have you been putting off trying something? Try it. Align yourself with love and try something new this month. If it doesn’t work, change it.