Always Do Your Best.
In a November blog, I wrote about the best-selling book, The Four Agreements, which is one of my favourite self-discovery and personal growth books. I’ve read the book many times and often revisit it when I feel derailed and overwhelmed with limiting beliefs. Its profound and straightforward wisdom grounds me and has provided me with a code of conduct that can easily be applied to daily life.
The Four Agreements
Be Impeccable With Your Word
Don’t Take Anything Personally
Don’t Make Assumptions
Always Do Your Best
I also mentioned in my November blog that I would write about each agreement in more detail. With this blog, I’ll discuss The Fourth Agreement:
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 circumstances, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.
What does doing your best look like?
It’s very individual and depends on what is going on in your life. Your best is probably completely different than my best. Doing my best is more manageable when I’m feeling well and challenging and limited when not.
I have so many thoughts about what Doing My Best means in general and to me that I can’t seem to organize them coherently, so I’m just going to share my random thoughts.
My Random Thoughts…
Does doing your best only matter when you are doing something big and important, or does it matter for all you do? For me. it’s both.
Doing your best is putting in the effort in all aspects of your life and striving for improvement.
Not giving up the second things become challenging and having the wisdom to know when you have done your best, you gave it your all, and can let it go if it is not working.
Doing your best does not mean sacrificing your physical and emotional health to reach your goals. Self-care must always come first.
Working for something that you care about and not settling for doing things that don’t light you up.
Do your best because you want to, not because you seek approval and acceptance.
Doing your best means staying present, not dwelling on the past and things you cannot change, or spending too much time anticipating the future.
Practicing doing your best becomes how you are in the world, and you will become uncomfortable when you are not doing your best.
Be responsible, show up, and do what you say you will do for yourself and others.
Mistakes and failures will be easier if you know you did your best. Learn from your mistakes and failures-don’t give up.
Get advice or help if you need it.
Do know harm. Be good. Do good.
Everyday little things matter:
Holding the door open for someone.
Returning the shopping cart
Not littering.
Letting a car in during heavy traffic.
Tipping generously.
Being patient.
Being kind.
These little gestures add up. They create little sparks, and each spark connects and attracts more sparks, and before you know it, you have a glowing sun of sparks. To me, this is the power of doing our best.
Not doing your best in your everyday life does not create positive sparks, and those negative actions will take you into a destructive vortex.
Always Do Your Best is the last of Miguel’s Four Agreements.
Be Impeccable With Your Word
Don’t Take Anything Personally
Don’t Make Assumptions
Always Do Your Best
In the last few months, I’ve provided deeper insights into the Four Agreements and completed the fourth agreement in this blog. Becoming familiar with these Four Agreements has been life-changing for me; they have become beacons of guidance on how to live a joyous life with integrity. I highly recommend reading this book again and again.
What you do today will matter tomorrow. Do your best and keep well.
Anita
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