I have done core values exercises several times throughout my adult life. While I believe this is worthwhile because we change and grow over time, I have been surprised at the level of consistency I have seen each time. When I think about this, however, it is not entirely surprising. Because while how my core values show up in my life may evolve along with me, the values themselves are very much a part of who I am. Let’s look at an example… One of my core values is sharing knowledge with others. Years ago, this value showed up in my life via my role as a classroom teacher. I was able to share knowledge with students and help them to learn, grow, and develop. While my years of being in the classroom everyday are far behind me at this point, my core value of knowledge-sharing is still very much at play. I do this through my daily posts (like this one!), the trainings I run, my Facebook lives, the rooms I moderate in Clubhouse, and in many other ways. So while the way in which I do things may look different, the core value remains unchanged.
A few months ago I found myself feeling stuck, unmotivated, and just plain in a funk. Despite having a toolbox full of mindset strategies, I just couldn’t seem to snap myself out of it, and I was getting SUPER frustrated and discouraged, which of course made it even worse! When I mentioned what I was experiencing to my coach during one of our sessions, she helped me to explore what was going on so I could figure out a path forward. As it turns out, in my focus on the goals I had set and the things I wanted to get accomplished, I had lost sight of doing the things that fed my soul! So even though I had the action plan I needed and the mindset tools to help me accomplish it, I had become detached from the things that were most meaningful to me, throwing everything else I tried to do out of whack! The fix? I immediately started engaging in things that fed my soul and connected back to the core of who I was. In doing so, I saw a shift almost right away! So if you find yourself stuck despite having a solid plan and the tools to move you forward, I encourage you to check in with yourself: Is your focus aligned to your core values? If not, what needs to shift?
If I were to ask you what some of your core values are, would you be able to tell me? If so, would you be confident in your answer? Would it come quickly and easily, or would it be a struggle to figure out?
For those who are able to answer easily and with confidence, great! But are you LIVING those values? If not, why not? Not sure? Let’s connect and figure it out!
For those who may not be able to answer or may find the answer challenging, I encourage you to explore your core values. If you do a simple google search for core values exercises, I’m sure you’ll be able to find several fairly easily. OR, you can message me, and I can send you a copy of the mini core values exercise I created😊
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