May I try to _____ as best I can today.
As we step into 2023, we are likely to focus on the ways our lives have fallen short of our expectations. We may dream of everything we want to accomplish or changes we would like to make so that the year is happier and more fulfilling than the last one.
Feelings of satisfaction often stem from our core, aka personal, values. We tend to feel satisfied when we are living in accord with our values – things like service, connection with nature, friendship, family, love, honesty, health – and dissatisfied when we are not.
In recovery, it may help to set our intention to get inline with our values. To let go of behaviors or circumstances that are no longer serving us, and to take actions that allow us to thrive.
What are the core values that give meaning to your life? Some suggestions are listed below. You can also use CoDA’s Recovery Patterns of Codependence or the 12 Promises to get ideas. Try writing an intention to live in accord with your values in the form of a wish like:
“May I try to… as best I can today.”
Once you’ve written your intention, you can say it first thing when you get up in the morning, before bed and also include it in your 10th step inventory…reviewing the big and small ways you were on or off track that day.
We need to be very self-compassionate when we notice we’ve strayed from our intention—no shame or judgement, it’s only human—and then remind ourselves to refocus on the positive intention again.
Below is a list of core values some have found helpful. This list is not exhaustive, but it will give you an idea of some common core values. Try selecting no more than five to focus on—if everything is a core value, then nothing is really a priority.
Core Values List
- Authenticity
- Acceptance
- Achievement
- Adventure
- Autonomy
- Awareness
- Balance
- Beauty
- Belonging
- Boldness
- Boundaries
- Challenge
- Citizenship
- Community
- Competency
- Contribution
- Courage
- Creativity
- Curiosity
- Determination
- Equal Relationships
- Fairness
- Faith
- Forgiveness
- Friendships
- Fun
- Gentleness
- Growth
- Happiness
- Health
- Honesty
- Humor
- Integrity
- Inner Harmony
- Justice
- Kindness
- Knowledge
- Leadership
- Learning
- Love
- Loyalty
- Meaningful Work
- Openness
- Optimism
- Peace
- Pleasure
- Poise
- Recognition
- Religion
- Reputation
- Respect
- Responsibility
- Security
- Self-Compassion
- Self-Respect
- Serenity
- Service
- Spirituality
- Stability
- Success
- Trustworthiness
- Wealth
- Wisdom