The Value of Values
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Going with the flow. We've all experienced trying to be something we're not. We have good intentions, but we're left feeling frustrated, struggling to paddle upstream. Everything takes effort, and at the end of the day we are exhausted. In my last newsletter I mentioned the critical role values play in making wise decisions. While we are always standing on our values as a foundation, we do not always honor them. And when we don't, we find the current seems to have turned against us. What are values and why are they important? A value is something (as a principle or quality) intrinsically valuable or desirable. The values we hold as individuals are fundamental to who we are. They make us unique. We were created to live in accordance with our values, and yet so often we unknowingly neglect them. When we fail to honor our values, we have an underlying sense that all is not right in the world. How do we discover our values? We discover what we value by playing detective and observing ourselves. Learn to pay attention to those moments when you are fighting your way upstream and when you are coasting effortlessly. Two of my core values are meaningful work and deep relationships. When I am not building time into my life to honor these, I encounter resistance and wind up frustrated and exhausted. If I fail to honor these and other values for prolonged periods of time, I find myself more fatigued, expending more effort and making less progress towards my larger life goals. | Two key questions that can be useful in discovering your own values are... 1) What are 10-15 times in the last two to five years in which you felt a profound sense of satisfaction, when everything seemed to be flowing together in the right direction? It could be an activity, an event, a season, or a moment of awareness. 2) What about each of those experiences did you value? (Freedom, Creativity, Relationships, etc) Discovering our values and being sure to honor them are two of the most significant things we can do to get our lives moving in a positive direction. As I mentioned before, our values are crucial to making wise decisions. So the next time you find yourself faced with a life decision, even a simple one such as how you will spend your Saturday, consider your values. As you make choices that honor your values, you will find the essential elements to a satisfying life begin to fall into place.
PS I am in the process of changing the address that sends you my regular newsletter. Please be sure the new address: ByDesignNews@ByDesignCoaching.com is on your white list. Thanks. | ||
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