Challenge #4 Defining your Priorities (Familial Priorities)

According to the online dictionary Merrian-Webster.com, the word familial means “of, relating to, or suggestive of a family.”

In modern times, a family can take on many different forms. Additionally, a family may include just immediate family or may stretch beyond the boundary to include extended family as well. It all depends on your situation and point of view.

Generally speaking, familial priorities will be generated in one of two ways:

• What your family members collectively (as a group) believe is important to or for your family.
• What the head or heads of the household believe is important to or for your family.
Here are just a few examples of familial priorities:

• You institute family movie nights on Wednesday nights, come rain or shine. (Supports your desire for more quality “family bonding” time.)
• Your children will go to college – no ifs or buts about it. (Supports your belief in higher education and your desire for your children to have a better life.)
• You have a date night once a week with your spouse. (Supports your romantic connection and strengthens your relationship.)
• You insist on having a family chore chart. (Supports the importance of sharing or teaching responsibility.)
• You ensure that your will is updated once a year. (Supports your desire to have all the details in order, should the unthinkable happen.)

Ultimately, whenever you make about how to live your life, your familial priorities should be right there with you.

Remember, in every moment of your life, you live in choice! So you want to ensure you make decisions that will allow you to live your best life. But don’t worry – your familial priorities and core values will act not only as a filter to keep out the bad (clutter), but also as a compass to lead you in the best direction: toward serenity, as defined by you.

To help you identify your familial priorities, please answer the questions below with an open heart and mind.

Familial Priorities

Answer the following questions.

1) Set timers for five minutes and allow your thoughts to flow freely. During the allotted time, list any familial priorities that spring to mind.

2) Review the list of familial priorities you brainstormed for the questions above. Pick your top five and write them below

3) Review the list of familial priorities you brainstormed for the questions above. Pick the one that is most important to you and write it below.

Then write it somewhere you can see it daily– manifest it into being! Energy goes where attention flows- so throw up your hands and bring it to the heart center … give it the attention it needs to become the framework around which all other choices will be made!

Here’s to you ~
love xoxo
Leah