Begin your
list by first taking a few moments to think of what is the one thing you value
more than anything else in the world and then write it on the top of a page.
Continue with the second thing you value most, and write it below the first
one. Continue listing what you value most in order of importance. When your
list is done, you have before you your hierarchy of what is most important to
you in life.
For example:
God
Self
Significant
Other
Children
Family and
Friends
Pets and
Plants
Next, write
down everything you need to do in order to be true to each of the things you
value.
For example:
God -
Create and/or maintain a strong relationship with God
by doing good things such as solving problems instead of creating them; serve
humanity through my work and/or life; do onto others as I would like to have
done onto me; meditate and/or pray daily; be grateful for all the goodness in
my life as well as for the challenges that help me grow and learn; and be more
charitable.
Self -
Be the best me I can possibly be by putting conscious effort into
keeping healthy in:
Body -
Maintain health or do whatever is necessary to return to health;
exercise and maintain a healthy weight; sleep as much as is needed for my body;
be conscious not to abuse drugs or alcohol; eliminate negative or harmful
habits.
Spirit -
Keep a strong relationship with God; touch base with my inner self
through meditation; be kind and generous to others; do something creative
daily; enjoy art and music; and spend more time with nature.
Mind -
Think positive thoughts; search for solutions
to all challenges; set and update goals quarterly; create mental pictures of
desired future and revise them as necessary; practice mental gymnastics such as
when using memory techniques.
Emotions -
Be true to what I believe in; set clear boundaries for myself and
others; overcome even the slightest fears; be open to loving and being loved;
do what ever I need to do to truly love myself; accept myself for who and how I
am in the areas I cannot change; accept others for who and how they are
realizing they are probably doing the best they know how; forgive myself and
others and move forward.
Other -
Continue to learn new skills and talents; strengthen existing skills
and talents; enjoy my work and do it very well; have a makeover; do everything
so well that I would be proud to sign my name next to it.
Significant
Other -
Love and accept my Significant Other for who
and how they are; have fun and laugh a lot with them; be affectionate and share
a lot of physical, loving contact; be a source of emotional support; keep the
spontaneity and passion alive; be available; be sensitive to their needs; be
totally honest, maintain clear lines of communication; always be best friends.
Children -
Teach them about God and goodness; love and accept them
unconditionally for who and how they are; discover their unique nature and
gift; acknowledge and respect them as individuals, be the best teacher and
guide I can possibly be; be a good example; teach them healthy morals and
values; teach them to take responsibility for all their actions and outcomes;
teach them how to make good choices and decisions, teach them about consequences;
teach them how to create a life of their own design; keep a 24 hour open line
of communication; be patient.
Family and
Friends -
Stay connected; address unresolved issues
whenever necessary and appropriate; do not enable unresourceful behaviors; be
honest; forgive and allow to be forgiven; make amends if necessary; lend a
helping hand; be available; be supportive; encourage positive change when ever
necessary; spend time together; remember their birthdays and special occasions;
be there for them during tough times.
Pets and
Plants -
Love, respect and appreciate them and their
existence; be sensitive to their needs; provide them with the proper care for
maximum health; spend time with them; have fun.
This sample
list may or may not match the kind of person you are today. Putting that aside,
you will notice that material possessions and finances are not listed. This is
because when you are doing everything you know how to do to keep your
relationship with God and your Self strong, healthy and true, then you will
have plenty of work. And, because you do your work so well with your have
highly developed skills and talents, you will be in high demand giving you the
corresponding income to buy the possessions you desire.
Note:
It would be
interesting to see how your Checklist for Success compares to that of your
Significant Other. If they are the same, you may have a match made in heaven.
If they are slightly different, then you may each agree to modify your lists in
order for them to match. This could be taken as a sort of written agreement
between the two of you that basically states you will go through life together
valuing the same things. If your lists are totally different and there is no
desire to make any modifications in order to make a closer match, then you may
want to reconsider how Significant the Other really is.
These kinds
of lists can be made between you and anybody else such as business partners,
employees and children. Parents and children making a list with the title
"What It Takes To Have And Maintain A Healthy, Loving And Open
Relationship" may find it to be a real eye opener when the most important
thing for a parent is to have "open communication," yet for the child
it is having "total privacy." As long as each person participating in
this exercise is willing to be flexible and work together the outcome is more
than likely going to be very positive.
Your
Checklist for Success is a great way to set goals as well. Whenever you
discover that you are not doing something that would surely improve how you
relate to one of the persons or things on the list, and then make it a goal for
you to reach. Your life will only move forward, and in a very positive manner.
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