As I reflected on the week and what this blog would cover, I knew it had to be on values. I think I must have had at least 5 conversations last week on values.
What do I mean by values, and why does it matter?
Let's say you are making a decision. Maybe it's something small like where to take a trip, or maybe it's something big like taking a new job. How do you make that decision? You can do a pro/con list, you can ask friends or family. Whenever I think about decision making I think of a story from one of my mentors. They told a story about how they were deciding between two big jobs. The first was the super cool job, and it would impress people. The second job was not buzz-worthy or typically impressive job. On paper it was a simple choice, right? However, once they compared each job with their values it was very clear, the second job that would be easily overlooked was the right now, and it proved to be the right choice instantly.
There are lots of different ways to make big and small decision, but I believe at the root of any decision is our values. What do we really want?
Can you answer that question? Because this is at the core of staying true to yourself, what you need, and what you really want.
I realize if can be overwhelming to define your values if you've never done so before. Maybe you've never really asked yourself that question, or haven't been strong enough to be honest with yourself about what you really want. A great way to start is just keep it simple:
Start with an area of your life, maybe your work, personal development, relationships.
Brainstorm all the things you value in this area.
Now, prioritize the top three things you value in this area. This may be challenging, but get to three, only three. It will force to you really get clear on what you really want!
As with anything, this is a continual process. This list will change and that is ok! Keep coming back to these steps and ask yourself what you really want.
When we give up our power and let other people and situations dictate what we do, that's when we get out of balance. Anger, depression, sadness, loneliness try to remind us that we aren't being true to ourselves.
Each of us is the CEO of our life. We are accountable for what we do, how we act, and the decisions that we make, and what we accept into our lives.
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