Letting My Guard Down v.s. Not Trying

In my last post about having bipolar disorder and being negative toward my family, I stated that I let my guard down with my family. That is, I'm negative around them. My wife read the post and had a criticism of that statement that I took to heart. Rather than edit the post I thought I would leave it and address it in a separate post. Her point was that I didn’t let my guard down. I am not a guarded person. But rather that I simply do not try. Now this can be a painful comment or realization if I let it be one. However, I thought of the book I just recently read called The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. In the book there are four agreements that will let you live in a world that is like heaven. One of the agreements was “Don’t take it personally.” I practiced this when I received criticism from my wife. I have been reading a lot of self help and motivational books lately. They can be found in the resources section on my website. I have been reading them almost as though I were studying for a final exam. I see them as a guide to becoming a motivational speaker. I can certainly say that reading the book on The Four Agreements has definitely opened my eyes and helped me deal with life. So after not taking my wife’s comments personally, I was able to sit back, think about it, and agree with her. I do not let my guard down, I have simply given up trying not to be negative around my family. Now that I have identified the problem, I can more easily rectify it. I can tackle it head on. I recommend that each of you write down what your faults are. Really think about them and make sure you accurately capture them. Then come up with a plan as to how you will deal with them. Finally stick to the plan. We can only change when we make a conscious effort to do so.