If someone you care about asks you, “What do you stand for?” how would you answer? What guidelines do you use to determine priorities and what you say “yes” to? Like many of my clients and me, you may find writing a personal manifesto very revealing and a useful tool to check in periodically and see whether you are still on the path or route you intended to go on.
manifesto: a written statement that describes the policies, goals, and opinions of a person or group – Webster’s Dictionary
Clients who struggle with decision making find this tool particularly helpful in clarifying their top priorities and separating out the possibilities that, while appealing, are not as important to them. To help aid in the process, there are some sentence stems that follow, which will help you uncover your priorities, values and what you are committed to, heart, body and soul. If you want a fuller version of this tool, you can request it via messaging.
I appreciate and embody these values and qualities as a human being: (as many as are important to you)
In the role of leader, I stand for:
In the role of life partner, I stand for:
In the role of parent, I am committed to:
As a steward of this planet, I am committed to:
As a business person, I most value:
I believe in:
I support:
I am aligned with:
As a spiritual being, what is most important for me to remember is:
As a friend, I stand for:
As a family member, I am committed to:
As the steward of this body, I will:
As a steward of financial resources, I am committed to:
In our hearts and in our guts, we can feel what we stand for when that is threatened in some way—we feel it in our emotional center. Checking in with ourselves is important because many of us have not examined questions like this, nor even thought we had reason to. Knowing what we stand for, what we are committed to, strengthens our sense of self and we can take power out of this understanding when faced with a tough decision. All choices become more aligned with our intent clear.
As you move into the new year, make your intentions be authentic to who you truly are and may you find power in them to soar in 2017.
