Creating a Personal Constitution
The Constitution of the United States forms the foundation of our country laws (if you are reading this from the good ol’ USA). It is meant to be a guiding light to how the three branches of our government should interact and function. Any time a new law is considered by Congress or interpreted by a judge, the constitution must be respected.
If you think about it, we, as individuals, could use a constitution of our own. From a personal experience, there are times in my life when I have lost my way. Just as a constitution gives guidance in how a country should operate, so too can a personal constitution give vision to the kind of life one wants to lead. With a personal constitution, it is hard to get lost because you now have a map of exactly the kind of life that you want to lead.
I first created a personal constitution a couple of years back and I can say that my life is more focused on the things that are important to me. By putting down your principles on paper and always keeping them in mind, it makes it easier when faced with difficult decisions in life– all you have to do is consult your constitution.
The best way to get started creating a personal constitution is to brainstorm on what exactly is important to you. Once you have a list, write them in an ordered fashion on a piece of paper. Then with each item write a short description as to why the item is important to you. If you want to get real fancy, you can add a preamble to the start explaining why you are creating your constitution.
Also remember that in order for a personal constitution to be effective, you must review it frequently. And just as the US Constitution is not static, yours shouldn’t be either. As your life evolves so too will your constitution; make sure to always be updating it.
Attached is my personal constitution for inspiration:
See a typo? Submit a Pull Request.