One of the first things we did at Courage to Caregivers was to develop a mission statement. We wanted a clear, compelling statement that would reflect our values, guide our vision, and help drive every decision we made. It wasn’t easy to find just the right words, but that mission – to provide hope, support, and courage to caregivers and loved ones of those living with mental illness – now serves as our anchor. And it has YOU at its very core. YOU are our WHY.

A personal mission statement can be an anchor for you, too. During turbulent times, it helps to know exactly who you are and what you believe. In just a few words, a mission statement is a summary of your values and goals that explains who you are, what is important to you, and where you want to go in life. It describes the authentic YOU in a snapshot of a single sentence.

Take a look at these examples of strong personal mission statements:

• “To be a teacher. And to be known for inspiring my students to be more than they thought they could be.” – Oprah Winfrey
• “To have fun in [my] journey through life and learn from [my] mistakes.” – Sir Richard Branson
• “To help others live the lives they would if they only knew how.” – Andy Andrews

If you need help creating your own mission statement, think of it as a journey, and use your core values as your guide map. What are the values that are most important to you, that serve as the very core of your beliefs, and that guide all of your decisions?

We’ve identified our core values, and maybe some of them will resonate with you. They include:

• Acceptance
• Collaborative
• Compassion
• Confidentiality
• Empowerment
• Growth mindset
• Hopeful
• Inspiration
• Integrity
• Judgment-free
• Open-minded
• Positivity
• Resilience

Once you know your core values, the next step is to decide where you want to go (your goals). Then, think about what “the best” would look like for you (dream BIG), how you want to act, and what kind of legacy you want to leave behind.

That’s all there is to it! A personal mission statement allows you to describe yourself, your values, and your goals and to let others know that you are not just a caregiver. You are an individual who is anchored by hopes, dreams, and promise! It all starts with YOU.

Caring together,

Kristi Horner
Founder and Executive Director
Courage to Caregivers