LIVING YOUR VALUES
MATCHING UP YOUR BELIEVING WITH YOUR DOING
Our values are what we believe are important to us. Values are ideals that are personally meaningful, and they pull you forward. They energize us, it’s not something we “have to do or be”, values seem to be a natural part of who we are. Ideally, our values determine our priorities and how we spend our time. Living out our values tells us if our life is turning out the way we want it to. When our external actions (what we do and how we spend our time) match our internal values, we feel satisfied, fulfilled and content. When these two do not align we feel the tension and the mismatch which usually results in a lack of peace and unhappiness.
When you know your values, you can live according to those values. This leads to greater fulfillment and zing to life. When you don’t know your values, you can violate them every day. This creates internal tension. And this tension triggers destructive habits and regressive behavior.
To discover if you are living your values, ask yourself these questions:
Do you feel fulfilled in life?
Or is there a nagging in your soul that you would rather be doing something else?
Are you spending time the way you would like to?
Or does your life feel out of control?
Do you feel internal freedom?
Or are you wrestling with Internal tension?
Is your life effortless?
Or do you feel exhausted and / or dread doing certain things?
Does your life have a sense of flow to it?
Or do you feel a lack of peace or happiness in your life?
Are you developing in the areas you would like to?
Or do you feel stuck or stunted in your growth?
Are you doing the things that are important to you?
Or are you enslaved by busyness and the demands of others?
If you have answered more on the negative side of these questions you are likely not living your values in some way, shape, or form. You may not be aware of what your values truly are.
1. DISCOVER WHAT YOUR VALUES ARE
What are the moments in your life that gave you the most fulfillment?
When did you feel the most alive and joyful?
When did you feel that you were your most authentic self?
What were you doing in these situations and what do they have in common with each other?
What words resonate with you and seem to encompass many areas of your life?
Freedom? Accomplishment? Community? Excellence? Authentic Connections? Stability?
2. MAKE YOUR VALUES PRIORITY
When you are living out your values, you are living with deep inner integrity, and you can be your authentic and true self
A Value is a MUST for you to BE YOURSELF.
Values are the activities you engage in when your life is in great shape.
Your values bring fulfillment.
When you honour your values, you honour yourself.
When you live your values you live a life of integrity, and you are congruent with who you want to be, who you claim to be, and who you are really living.
3. TIE YOUR VALUES INTO YOUR GOALS
This will motivate you to reach your goals because you tie them into something that will pull you forward and you don’t have to “push” and force yourself to make them happen.
Goal setting and reaching your goals is easier.
Your life purpose and vision becomes clear.
You have fewer distractions.
4. ENJOY!
Congratulations on living your values! You will find that you are in sync with the person you were meant to be. Your life will seem effortless and your happiness will increase. Your purpose and your life vision become clear.
When you engage in your values you become your best!
