Yesterday I wrote about a study that revealed how a group of women who had spent 15 minutes writing about their core values actually lost weight. While this might seem like an unlikely diet, it’s worth a shot. What might interfere with your plan, however, is not knowing what your most important values are.
You’ll know if you aren’t aligned with your values, as you may experience anxiety and dissatisfaction, low energy and aches and pains, or at least feel as if you are in a comfortable rut. So what exactly are values?
Values are not actions or possessions but qualities that, for you – and not your parents, teachers, brothers, sisters, boss or guru – have intrinsic worth and define what matters to you at the deepest level.
When your actions are aligned with these values then your self-esteem is boosted and the things you do are desirable and worthy for their own sake.
The value of knowing your values is that you can give yourself more opportunity to honour yourself and your life’s worth. However, you need to be absolutely clear about what your values are. You need to find the language to describe them in a compelling way to yourself and others. Knowing what you stand for is essential. Only then can you start setting life goals that are in alignment with your values and therefore achievable and meaningful.
The most important thing to remember when working out your core values is to be honest. Don’t say that you value something because you think you should. Speak your truth because your life will reflect your values.
Here are some guidelines for identifying your values. Record your answers in a journal or on a piece of paper.
1. Imagine you have as much money as you need and are living a comfortable life. What would this most fulfilling life look like? Spend some time reflecting on this. What values would you be honouring by living this life?
2. If you didn’t have to earn a living and had all the time in the world, what would you most want to study, practise, master or research? What would you want to become an expert in? What values would you be honouring by living this life?
3. You have enough food, you have shelter and clothing. Make a list of things beyond these essentials that you absolutely must have in order to be fulfilled and happy. For each of those things, what values are being honoured?
4. What causes are you willing to dedicate your life to? What values would you be honouring by living this life?
5. Think of some circumstance or event that repeatedly annoys or upsets you. Think about it for a moment and identify what value is not being expressed.
6. Identify a peak moment in which you were absolutely at peace and completely present. What values were being honoured in that moment?
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