Four Agreements: Domestication

Last year I read (Twice!) The Four Agreements, and it made such an impression on me. I have the companion book to it, malingering on my "currently reading" shelf. The reason? I quickly realized the book is askign me to do exercises that my poor hands, full of pens and needles these days, just seemed too tired to actually write it down in a physical journal. I thought about typing up things in my phone (too cumbersome) and then I remembered I started up this skeleton thing again. Hopefully this will help me go through this book this year. I dont want to waste my time or energy on fanfaire or introduction to the work I'm going to do in this book. Either I will remember it or I wont. Image of self-> The Ideal Self. The Ideal Self does not equal: REALITY. "You need a mirror in the world to see yourself, but there isnt a clear mirror to tell you what you are. So you agree with the image that others create for you, but you are not that image... Where is the real you? It gets lost because there isnt a good mirror to reflect what you really are." "Practice Idea for Mastering Awareness. The Image of Perfection." 1) Are you aware of all the distorted images you have about yourself? My Gut Instinct was yes. I know I have body dismorphia. I know I feel like I'm a monster to some (victim mentality) or that people think I'm dumb. But, I dont think I really know *all* of my distorted images. 2) What are the images that others projected onto you as a child? When I was a kid: a sweet girl, god's child. Loves Jesus, loves being gentle, nature, small toys. As an adolecent: sick, troubled, worried, confused, in danger and dangerous. Weird. 3) What did you agree to belive about yourself? I believed that I was angry, mean, hurt, unloveable and unloved. I thought I was scary, and it was both a source of pride and pain. 4) What were the images that others projected on you? When I was a child I was told I was... Difficult, smart, precious, depressed, anxious, wrong 5) What Limitations were you told you have? I was told my limitations were... I did not have the basic right of respect. I was told I had to earn it, there was nothing innate. I had no right to privacy ( again earned) or to choose what I did with my day or my free time. That I was not a good student, even though I was smart. That I didnt apply myself. That I couldnt do math. 6) When you were a child, what did others tell you about what it means to be a girl or a boy? "I was told that girls should always..." Be sweet, be submissive, gentle, respectful, cook, clean, be tidy "I was told that boys should always..." Be smart, good at math and science, like "boy' things like snakes, lizards, monster, horror... "Did you fit the ideal image of what it meant to be a girl or a boy?" No. Neither. 7) What do you believe today about being a woman or being a man? "I believe that a woman should always..." Fight back. Be community minded. Be helpful, strong, and not back down. " I believe that a man should always..." Be considerate, be gentle, think about what masculinity is. Question what they are told by society and other men. 8) Make a list of all qualities you were told you should have, both personal and physical. "I was told I should be..." Beautiful, desireable, sweet, kind, loving, generous, demure... Basically everything that Paris Paloma says in their song "Labor". 9) Make a list of all the qualities you believe other people think you have. "I believe others think that I am..." Lazy, dumb, smart, talented, funny. 10) Make a list of all the qualities you lack but wish you had." I wish I could be like this..." I wish I could be fearless. I wish I could have a routine. I wish I felt more like being creative more often. I wish I felt like reading more often. I wish that I could be emotionally balanced more often.