Spiritual Compass exercise

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How many things in your life changed over the past year?  

Jobs, relationships, financial status, mental and physical health -- SO many things have shifted, or completely disappeared, as we navigated a whole series of unprecedented events.  For many of us, things will never return to the way they were.  That makes this moment now the perfect time to take an uncomfortably honest and unapologetic look at where we are, what truly matters to us, and where we want to be.

The Spiritual Compass Exercise forces us to take a deep dive into our heart to reflect on exactly what makes us tick.  We discover our core values, the things we require to live an authentic life, and how we're still influenced, for better or worse, by others.  The exercise focuses on four specific aspects of your life, and requires you to come up with 10 words or statements to support each of the four areas.  It provides a clarity and transformational focus that has changed people's lives.

To start, download and print the Spiritual Compass worksheets below, or fold a sheet of paper into quadrants, and put one of these statements at the top of each:

1. I'm good at...
2. I love to...
3. Essential for a meaningful life (written with your non-dominant hand)...
4. People say I was born to...

Take a deep breath.  Then, write 10 examples of each of the four statements in each quadrant of the attached worksheet.  There will definitely be overlaps in the quadrants, and that’s fine.  After you’ve filled in your 40 words or statements, first whittle the list down to your top five in each quadrant. Then take it a step further, and edit your list down to three different things in each catagory.

Now, take those 12 different elements, and weave them together into your personal Mission Statement. From this point on, if something in your life doesn’t fit into one of those categories, spend some time in quiet reflection to see if it’s time to eliminate it to focus on those things that truly give your life meaning, joy, and purpose. It can be enlightening to see how many extraneous things we’ve allowed to take up our time and resources, and how these distractions can get in the way of living our best spiritual life.

Here is a sample Mission Statement:

The thread that connects everything in my life is my passion to laugh, learn, and love and be loved. By connecting with Spirit, I find the joy in everything, and connect people together. It is essential for me to share my gifts, always be discovering new things, and to be constantly thanking God for all my opportunities. My mission, etched deeply in to my palm and my soul, is to focus on what matters and help others to do so; to dissolve the barriers between realms and to pull the stars within reach for all who desire to touch them.