Back to Basics. What Are Your Values?

It feels like we are in a phase of contraction. Until recently, the economy was running hot and it seemed everyone was in the money. But that’s come to a screeching halt and left us asking, what’s real and what’s not?

If you looked inside instead of out, what would you see?

My Journey
I’ve been doing what I call “values work” for the past year and it’s been more rewarding than I imagined. My life now feels like it's in alignment with who I am. And who I am is unique, like no one else on this earth.

About a year ago, I glommed on to this quote by Dr David Simon:

The concept of dharma, or purpose, holds that there are no spare parts in the universe. Each of us enters the world with a unique perspective and set of talents, which enables us to unfold an aspect of natural intelligence that has never been expressed before. When we are living in dharma, we are in service to ourselves and to those affected by our choices. We know we are in dharma when we cannot think of anything else we would rather be doing with our life.

I posted this quote in my office because I thought it was so radical. I couldn’t believe that I was that unique but I really wanted to. I wanted to have an awareness of what my special talents are and what makes me tick.

And now, a year later, I’m there. I get it. I know it’s just the beginning but it feels like walking into Disneyland or Vegas (depending on who you are) – you haven’t had the full experience yet but you know you’re going to have a good time.

What are YOUR values?
Your values are intrinsic to you just like your height and eye color. Your values don’t tell you what you should be doing, they tell you what you want to be doing.

Like the quote above says, it’s when “we cannot think of anything else we would rather be doing with our life.”

To unearth your values, here are some places to start.

Read through these, pick one and do the exercise today. Then identify the value(s) from the exercise. You can use the Value Strings section below for help

Tomorrow and for the next few days look at the value(s) you have written down. Start making more choices to honor the value and see how you feel.

Peak Experience What is the happiest time you can remember? Write down the story and look for the values.

Future Self
What do you want to be when you grow up?
If time and money were not a concern, what would you be doing?

The magazine test
If you are a magazine reader, which magazine do you buy over and over again? Why? What’s in those pages that you love to read about or love to look at?

Value strings
Once you’ve identified a value, create a value string. List other words which inform the primary value. Here are examples of how the word freedom may have different meanings.
Freedom/independence/adventure
Freedom/self-expression/outrageous creativity

So tell me, what are YOUR values?
If you could be or do anything in this world right now, what would you be or do?

Love,
Cindy