I think it is important to do this. I use a therapy model called ACT and Mindfulness. One of the many strategies involved is to do a list of your core Values in every area of your life. And once you've worked and re-worked that in consultation with a therapist who is skilled in the methodology, you then extrapolate the Values into Valued Actions. I have an ongoing matrix/table of all that. It's an evolving thing.

Because Bipolar Disorder is such a serious illness and has real impacts on the various outcomes in our lives and our capacity to move forward, we need to look at these Valued Actions/Goals in a very flexible way - so we done feel like failures if we don't have progress, or even have reversals in someof the areas. And this also allows the whole list to be very fluid to allow for our changing wants, needs, strengths and shortcomings and the incoming stressors in our lives and also our brain chemical changes.

I have learned that I am a perfectionist (I was really offended at my therapist when she first called me that). But I do agree now and of course the person I am most a perfectionist with is myself - I set very high standards for myself. So part of this journey of identifying Values and Valued Actions is also to just hold each one lightly and not allow the whole process to be a rod for my own back - an opportunity to self flagellate when I don't move forward in all areas at the pace I would like.

But it HAS been very helpful, even though I do fall into getting frustrated at a lack of progress sometimes- that in itself is a major part of the journey I think.