Finding a sense of meaning in life underlies a fulfilling existence. Discovering and embracing your personal values is a key component of this. When we know what’s important and where we are headed, life becomes so much easier. Understanding what truly matters to you guides not only your decisions, but your actions, your relationships, and so much more. With so many other influences in our lives today, having a steadfast anchor is incredibly important.
What Are Personal Values?
Personal values are the principles and beliefs that matter to you most. Based on only what is important to you, and not anyone else, personal values provide us with a guiding light. We all know life can be challenging and difficult at times, but with our values clearly defined, we can face such times with more certainty and self-assurance.
Discovering Your Personal Values
Finding what matters to you most, and identifying your personal values requires reflection and contemplation. Here are some steps you can take to bring to light your values:
1. Self-reflection. Take some quiet time to reflect on your life. Think about times that have brought you great happiness, the things that really light you up and fill your heart with joy. What activities, jobs, people, places, or events have brought you the most personal satisfaction and happiness?
2. Identify qualities. When you look around your circles, who do you admire and why? Maybe they are honest and reliable, motivated or caring, or just down-to-earth humans. What is it about what they say or do that inspires you? Looking at other people can provide powerful insight into what we respect and desire, but also what we find off-putting. Make a list of all of the values you observe.
3. Prioritise. Narrow down your core personal values to the three top you want to live your life by. With a smaller list of values, it’s easier to memorise them and bring them to mind when you need to make decisions or you’re in a quandary.
Living in Alignment with Your Values
When you have your personal values, the next step is to evaluate your life to see what is aligned and what is not. Here’s how you can integrate your values into your life:
1. Setting goals and decision-making. When making decisions think about whether or not the direction you’re planning to head in aligns with your values. This can help you make more authentic choices which will in turn create a far more fulfilled life for you.
2. Cultivate self-awareness. The more aware you are of your own actions, the more likely you will be to live in alignment with your personal values. Practising mindfulness is a great way to increase your self-awareness, as is checking in with yourself throughout the day to notice your thoughts and feelings.
3. Connect with like-minded people. This is huge and has an enormous impact on us. When we can have authentic conversations about the realities of life, everything changes. We feel inspired, get support, and become more of who we really want to be.
4. Step outside your comfort zone. Embrace the challenge of change knowing that with each new step, you are becoming a stronger, more authentic human being. This is always an opportunity to be true to our personal values and we grow as a result.
5. Review. We are all continuously changing and growing and as we evolve, we need to reassess where we are and where we’re headed. A regular calendar entry, say every quarter or even each month in the beginning, is a great way to check you’re in alignment.
Take the time to identify your goals, get the support you need, and watch your life change for the better. Making sure you continue to live in alignment with your personal values takes effort, however, like anything, what you put in you get out and the rewards are endless.
Connect with Kathryn Price on her website where she covers a variety of personal development and business topics.