Each of us makes an agreement with life. We do so at different times in order to survive, excel, succeed, escape, triumph, love, and experience moments of grace. While we may each do it in slightly different ways, we each still do it.
For the first time, I’ll share another one of my secrets with you: I’ll tell you what my agreement with life is. Also, I’ll ask you some questions about your own agreement with life. Throughout this series of articles, I’ll bring up some ideas that will hopefully inspire you to reach beyond your current agreement (if you’re dissatisfied with it) or to deepen and solidify it (if you already like it).
Here’s my agreement with life:
I write the words that come to me, and then they stop bothering me.
Why?
I write them down because otherwise they would never leave me alone. It’s the only way I can find peace with the words.
And you?
So, how about you? What is your agreement with life? How have you agreed to handle the things in life that come at you? How have you agreed to pursue your goals and ambitions? You may be under the impression that you don’t have an agreement, and that’s okay. We can work with that. At some point though, you’ll realize that you live every day within a set of conditions and boundaries that you have chosen to give your life definition and depth. That’s a good thing, as long as you maximize the purposes in your heart and the strength of your mind.
Whatever your agreement is, it must propel you forward in living out your life’s goals. As long as it does that, then it will serve you well. If it doesn’t, then it’s time to make a new agreement! List out your current goals and compare that to the details that comprise your agreement. How many of them line up? Do they match?
By participating in your agreement, you are basically exchanging life, breath, and energy for some sort of return from the universe. In order for you to benefit from the universe, it has to provide you with what you are looking for. Is it doing that for you? If so, great! If not, why not? If you need to change your agreement, then do so. You’ll be glad you did!
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[…adapted from Marty’s book An Agreement with Life]
Marty Reep 