An easy way to up-level your life is to take a look at the values you’ve been living by, and decide if they are still serving you. Do you know what your values are, or if you are living in alignment with them? Here’s a quick 3-step process to figure this out.

First, identify your values. Let’s start by me clarifying what I mean by values. A quick Google search defines ‘values’ this way: “A person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life.”

Hmm…Google, tell me more about the term ‘principle’. “A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.”

So our values are based on principles or systems of beliefs. For example, I may value adventure based on a principle or belief I have formed that life is short and I want to get as much out of it as I can.

Here are some examples of values:

  • Honesty
  • Courage
  • Contribution
  • Compassion
  • Creativity
  • Love
  • Achievement
  • Excellence
  • Money
  • Family
  • Fun
  • Growth (Spiritual, mental, etc.)
  • Learning
  • Physical Health
  • Mental Health
  • Power
  • Financial Independence
  • Enjoying the process as well as the destination
  • Intimacy
  • Security

The list goes on. So pick from this list, or come up with your own list of values, constraining to your top 4 or 5 core values.

Once you’ve identified your core values, the second thing I want you to do is for each one ask yourself, “Why is this value important to me?” Take some time to actually answer that question. If you sit down and really do this, what you’ll uncover are your principles or beliefs.

Now beliefs are just really powerful thoughts. Recall in previous blogs where I talked about the idea that you get to decide on purpose the thoughts you want to think. Beliefs are fascinating because these are those thoughts in your mind that are so deeply engrained that you don’t even question them as optional. To you they are fact. But the truth is our beliefs aren’t facts and we do have a choice. Quick point of clarification – I’m not talking about actual facts like the sky is blue. I’m talking about beliefs like “Life is short.” This is not a fact and is totally optional. (For some of you the idea of living the rest of your life the same way you are today makes life seem REALLY long!)

Once you feel confident you’ve picked your top 4 or 5 values and you have examined why they are important to you, the third thing I want you to take a look at is your day to day life. What actions or inactions do you take that support and are in line with your values? On the flip side, what do you do or don’t do that doesn’t align with your values? Why do you think this is?

If you like your values and you feel aligned with how you live your day-to-day life, that’s great! If you’ve noticed, like most of us, your spending time doing things that don’t align with any of your values, that’s super-valuable to figure out too! Just like the thoughts and beliefs going around in your mind, you get to choose what values are right for you. This is SO important because once you have awareness, you can be intentional and drive your actions in life, and ultimately, “How we spend our days, is of course, how we spend our lives.” ~Annie Dillard

I’d love to help you explore your values, the beliefs behind them and how you can up-level your life. Sign up today for a free consult, and if you’d like to get emails when I post a blog and periodic updates from me, sign up below!