Think about your life.
What is it that you need and want for yourself? Make a list of these things. For instance, you may want to—
• get a job, or a better job
• find housing in a safe neighborhood
• take some educational courses or go back to school
• change your medications or treatments
• make more money
• get a raise
• lose weight
• buy a new car
• have a partner
• take some sick time
• be treated as an equal by your health care provider
• not be subjected to inappropriate sexual talk in your workplace
Your list may be very long. Review the list. Which of these things could you achieve, or try to achieve by advocating or speaking out for yourself? Circle those. Which of your circled needs and wants is most important to you? Put #1 beside that want or need. Number the others in order of priority. For instance, your #1 might be going back to school. Your #2 might be getting a better job and #3 might be making more money.
Through this simple process you have identified your needs or goals and how important they are to you in your life. It would be a lot of work to begin working on all of your goals at the same time. Start working on meeting these needs and goals by beginning with your top priority-#1. After you have met that goal, or are coming along well with that one, you can begin work on another need or goal.
Keep in mind that your needs and goals may change from time to time. What seems like a high priority now may not seem like such a high priority in several months when something else may have taken precedence over it.
