Blogs this week are the subject of "The Four Agreements" by author Don Miguel Ruiz.  For those who have just joined us, you might like to go back to Tuesday's blog so that you can follow the rest of the thread.

'Don't Take Anything Personally' is the second agreement taken from the book.  This one is no more or less challenging than the other three.  You may have adopted some habits over the years that make this an interesting one for you.  Has anybody ever told you that 'it is nothing personal' when you have not been selected for a team, or a job or maybe you have been made redundant.  For most people, the very nature of those words give you an embedded command that you will take it personally.  It is a quirk of the English language and for anybody out there with NLP skills, you will appreciate what I am talking about. 

Remember that what other people say and do is a reflection of their own reality, not necessarily yours, unless of course you make that choice.  Immunise yourself to the words and intentions of those around you who do not support you.  Their opinions are just that, opinions.  Newspapers are full of them.  You get to choose what you make them mean.  If you choose to be affected by them, you may be choosing unnecessary suffering.

Adopting a coat of armour or visualising a glass bell surrounding you and protecting you is a good strategy to allow you to just let things slide away.  Letting words just 'wash over you' is a great strategy.  Remember that they are only words and they are somebody else s's words.  Whenever you find yourself tempted to let your emotions be affected, just remember that your own opinions and feelings are the ones that count.