What values guide your life choices? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.”
“Keep out of the suction caused by those who drift backwards.”
Image from Unsplash by Edz Norton
We often find ourselves acting on the messages our mind sends us, relying heavily on logic and reason. Meanwhile, I’ve noticed that true wisdom comes from alternative sources within ourselves.
Consider the intuitive whispers of your heart, guiding you towards what truly resonates with your values and passions. Don’t ignore the gut feelings that serve as your internal compass, alerting you to potential dangers or opportunities.
By integrating these sources of guidance—mind, heart, and gut—you can make more holistic decisions and take better actions that align with your most authentic self.
EXERCISE:
Place your hand over your heart and reflect on your values, and what you care about most.
Place your hand on your stomach and pay attention to any hunches, intuitions, or emotions related to your current situation.
Take an extra minute or two to write down the guidance you received from these two often overlooked sources of wisdom.
Where in your life are you going along for the ride?
Where in your personal or professional world are you accepting things as they are without voicing your opinion that is not in step with the status quo?
On what issues is it time to put your foot down and take a stand for what you value and believe?
EXERCISE:
Select an important topic in which you have been going along to get along.
How can and will you step on the brakes regarding this issue and take more of your life into your own hands?
Who are the people in your life that set a wonderful example of living a rich and meaningful life?
How would you describe their character and best qualities?
How has their example impacted and influenced your personal and professional efforts?
Where in your world do you see terrible examples of how to live?
Where do you see people acting in ways that are contrary to what you value and believe?
How have their bad examples taught you valuable lessons that led you on a far better path?
EXERCISE:
Take an extra close look at the good and bad examples exemplified by people in your various communities.
What new or different choices and actions will you make and take from these observations?
What are the values that guide your life choices? Here are a few values-related posts you may have missed.
“The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win you’re still a rat.”
Image from Unsplash by Debby Hudson
What did you want to be when you were little?
Who did you look up to and admire and what was it about those special people that inspired you?
How energized and excited did you feel, given the anticipation of one day climbing a similar life ladder to reach your own pinnacles of success?
What ladders are you currently climbing in your vocational efforts? How confident and sure are you that it is absolutely leaning against the right wall, the one that aligns with your vision and values?
This past year full of economic and social upheaval has caused vast amounts of unemployment. Many people face significant challenges in adequately providing for their families. The transition process has caused many to reconsider if they truly want to get back to climbing the same ladder, leaning against the same or a similar wall.
If that scenario resonates with you or someone you know, please consider picking up a copy of the 2020 edition of What Color is your Parachute by Richard Nelson Bolles.
What are the values that guide your life choices? Here are a few values-related posts you may have missed.
“Set your course by the stars, not by the light of every passing ship.”
“Keep out of the suction caused by those who drift backwards.”
Image from Unsplash by John Salzarulo
A respected fellow blogger, Rohan Ravi, who writes A Learning a Day, recently wrote a short commentary on the subject of values and virtues. His perspective was that although many of us espouse our values and heartfelt beliefs, quite often our actions do not fulfill these standards and become actual virtues.
Where is it most important for you to combine your fierce spirit with courageous actions in order to transform the boulders in your path into pebbles?
Who are the friends, colleagues, mentors, family members, or coaches that can support you in these efforts?
Image from Unsplash by Christopher Paul High
Imagine you are about to play a new board game. Although you want to begin playing immediately, you must first read the rules.
What if your current life was actually a board game in which the rules – and even the players – were already established without your knowledge? How much do you enjoy playing your current game, and how often do you experience that winning feeling?
Upon opening the box to your new game, you are surprised to see that instead of being highly detailed and specific, the rule sheet offers a number of provocative questions for you to create your own set of rules.
You have the power to guide your play and who you invite to join in the fun.
What questions could you ask yourself to reveal a set of rules that would most fully resonate with your most closely held values and guiding principles?
Which people in your world that live by these rules can and will you invite to take their turn rolling the dice?
Image of Bernadette Jiwa from thestoryoftelling.com
Today’s quote comes from a blog post Bernadette Jiwa wrote on August 21, titled “The Value Shift.” Check out her insightful work and website.
What is your answer to the question posed in today’s quote?
Are you a yes, a no, or a sometimes? What would it take to be a Hell Yes!?
Yes, we all have our responsibilities and commitments we sometimes feel we have to do, instead of want to do. But overall, to what degree is the work you actually do what you want to do?
What bold, courageous, and creative actions would it take to move the “no” or “sometimes” far closer to the “yes” you deeply desire?
Feel free to reply to this post with the actions you will take to have a far more rewarding life.
