I have been sharing my take on “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz the last few weeks. Last week I got side tracked so will finish up with the last agreement today.
“Always do your BEST!” 
I love Ruiz’s take on this as it holds us to be responsible for our work and how we show up BUT it also takes into account that we are not the SAME everyday…….or even moment to moment. It honors our own personal energetic flow moment by moment. My “best” when I am “well- fed and rested” (thank you for that mantra, Mona:) looks very different from when I am sleep deprived and anxious. I can still do my “best” in that state but it will probably look and feel different. The key there is to NOT judge oneself when our “best” is different.
We need then to remember there are 3 parts to this agreement:
1. Do your best from the place that you are at in the moment
2. Release any judgement about your “best”.
3. Do not do BETTER than your “best”! That would be using energy that is not really there for us in the moment and we will be left depleted.
If you are committed to always doing your “best”, at the end of the day there will be no judgement. “I did my best in that situation”. If you are NOT doing your best, you know it. You know if you were not present and not doing your “best”.
Following this principle gives us a lot peace. “Do my best work and then let it be.” When I know that I am doing my “best”, then I can relax and just experience how my life unfolds.
This principle DOES require action on our part, but it is action based on where we are at in the moment.
Energy flows easily and effortlessly from this place and will lead us forward in our lives……..and it feels whole.
Scan your day, your life. Where do you know that you are doing your “best”? Where do you need to step up to the plate? Where do you need to step AWAY from the plate because you are overdoing? Where are you still judging yourself? Does the judgement come from not doing your BEST or from over doing and coming from a place of depletion (low energy)
It inspires me to just write and think about this principle!
Who do you know that lives this principle? Let them be your inspiration as you take this practice on.
As always, be compassionate with yourself. Two steps forward, one step back is pretty typical of any new endeavor.
Love and Blessings and let me know your experience with this! Melanie
Betsy,
yes, this was timely for me as well! It just feels so inspiring to just say to myself, “I am going to do my best right now.” Or as I am completing something again to ask, “is this my best?” And if it is, then let it go and be at peace! thanks for your comment. summer blessings, melanie
Amazingly timely. (See my email note of 10 minutes ago.) Thank you, Dear Friend.
yeah! it is great when i can share something that is so helpful to others also……….we tend to be so hard on ourselves! As for me? I am off to take my “best” nap right now!!