🧭 Own My Values
The deeper Alex travels into the ADHD terrain, the more he realizes that the landscape constantly shifts—valleys of fatigue, cliffs of rejection, forests thick with distraction. Some days feel like an uphill scramble; others like circling the same clearing again and again. Without a clear direction, it’s easy to lose heart.
That’s when Maya introduces the most important tool in the pack: the compass of values.
“Before we decide which trail to take,” she says, “we need to know which way matters most.”
🪶 Values as Direction, Not Destination
Maya crouches beside a trail marker and draws a simple diagram in the dirt: a compass rose. “You don’t reach a value,” she explains. “You walk toward it. Every day.”
Goals are like campsites or lookout points—specific and visible. But values are like directions—north, east, west, south—always present, even if you don’t reach the end of the trail that day. You can still walk with kindness, even if the conversation went badly. You can still act with courage, even if the fear hasn’t left.
🏞️ Four Domains of the Journey
To make the compass even clearer, Maya helps Alex map out four distinct regions in the terrain—domains where values come to life:
- Work / Study – The rocky outcrops of projects, deadlines, and expectations. “What values do you want to embody here?” she asks. Curiosity? Purpose? Determination?
- Play / Leisure – The open meadows of creativity, exploration, and joy. “What lights your fire here?” Maybe it’s freedom, fun, or mindfulness.
- Health / Growth – The dense forests of self-care, body awareness, emotional healing. What values help you navigate this stretch? Compassion, resilience, balance?
- Love / Relationships – The campfires and crossings where others walk alongside. “What kind of presence do you want to be here?” Alex names loyalty, empathy, and authenticity.
Maya reminds him: values aren’t rules. They’re not "shoulds" or “musts.” They’re the qualities of character he wants to bring with him as he hikes through life.
🌲 In Difficult Terrain, Values Keep You Oriented
One day, Alex hits a landslide—he fails an exam and lashes out at a friend. He wants to quit. But Maya helps him pause.
“Even if the trail has been washed out,” she says gently, “your compass hasn’t changed. Which value do you want to walk toward next?”
Alex realizes he doesn’t have to fix everything at once. He can start with honesty in an apology, or self-care in getting sleep. He may not be where he wanted to be—but he’s still walking in the right direction.
🔦 Questions to Find Your Compass
To help him uncover his core values, Maya offers reflective prompts around the campfire:
- “What do you want to stand for when life gets hard?”
- “What qualities do you want others to feel in your presence?”
- “When have you felt most like yourself?”
- “What kind of footprints do you want to leave on this trail?”
They write his answers in a journal, alongside sketches and leaf pressings—each one a reminder of his compass direction.
🎒 Values Are What You Carry With You
Some goals will crumble. Some trails will be blocked. But values are packable, portable, always within reach. Even when Alex gets lost, he can ask, “What would courage look like right now?” or “How would kindness guide this choice?”
As they continue the journey, Maya explains that in the next stage, they’ll explore the people and pursuits that give the journey meaning—those worthy destinations that make every step feel worthwhile.
