Writing your own guidelines for living out a Christian life doesn’t have to be a daunting task, and it is often easiest to reflect on the different areas of your life separately. The Community of Aidan and Hilda does this by suggesting ten ‘Waymarks‘, and gives straightforward practical guidance on how to create your own Way of Life based on these.

You might prefer to consider fewer words upon which to base your Rule. The Diocese of Liverpool, for example, has taken just six words: namely, Christians are called to Pray, Read and Learn and sent to Tell, Serve and Give, and has developed a simple template for your Rule based on each one, which is also connected to a short online course. Or you could think about your journey with God in terms of four directions (namely, up, in, with and out), as explained in this downloadable Way of Life booklet. 

The Practising the Way website has developed a useful Workbook to help you develop a specific Rule of Life that works for you in your own situation, as does this set of guidelines from Winchester diocese. 

However you choose to construct your Rule of Life, it is important regularly to review it, to reflect changes in your own personal circumstances and commitments. This might be by finding a suitable Spiritual Companion to accompany you on your Christian journey (you can do this directly through your own diocese, the Retreat Association, or the London Centre for Spiritual Direction), and many dioceses offer a kind of ‘Spiritual MOT’ course, often during Lent.