If you’re committed to changing your life, whether it’s improving relationships, gaining control over your emotions or moving beyond bad habits, it shouldn’t matter whether you’re religious or not.

Yet the language of 12-step recovery groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, which uses terms like “higher power,” “God,” “spirituality,” and “prayer,” can make some people feel uncomfortable, especially if they’re among the 20 percent of Americans who say they have no religious affiliation or who call themselves “spiritual but not religious.”

For the non-religious, groups such as Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS) take a non-spiritual approach to recovery.  There is also the option to follow the 12-step principles but adapt the language to your own beliefs.

Taking the time each day to contemplate your goals through language that best suits you is an essential part of A Plan For Living. It’s up to you to decide what you want to call your daily contemplations: prayers, thoughts, wishes or intentions.

Where do you stand in your Spirituality Intelligence? Here’s a short quiz to determine if you consider yourself, religious, spiritual but not religious, or a non-believer.

1. I believe in God.
   a) Yes
   b) I’m not sure
   c) No
   –
2. I believe I have a soul or a spiritual existence beyond my physical self.
   a) Yes
   b) I’m not sure
   c) No
   –
3. I believe I can communicate with a higher power through prayer.
   a)  Yes
   b) No

Religious

If you answered

1. a
2. a
3. a

You most likely consider yourself religious. You’ll probably feel comfortable saying a daily prayer each day to contemplate your goals and ask for spiritual strength to follow through on them.

–

Spiritual but not religious

If you answered

1. a or b
2. a or b
3. a

You’re most likely spiritual, but not religious. You might be perfectly comfortable with a daily prayer or you might prefer to choose another term, such as thought, wish or intention.  You can easily call on your spiritual strength or your friends and support networks to help you succeed.

–

Non-believer

If you answered

1. b or c
2. b or c
3. b

You most likely consider yourself atheist or agnostic. You’re most inclined to call your daily contemplation a wish, an intention or a thought. Regardless, you’ll use it to set your goals for the day and you know that if you need help, you’ll turn to your support group and others who care about you.