What exactly are values?
Your values are your heart's deepest desire about how you want to live your life. They can describe how you want to be or they can be personal qualities you want to espouse.
Grouping your values
The image above is actually my second mind map. The first one was much more scattered and random. It included words that I found meaningful such as 'fairness' but ultimately, I found other ways to express the same value that resonated more for me. In this second mind map, I grouped the values from the earlier mind map into four main areas (inner harmony, health, creativity and connection). Collecting your values into no more than five simple categories makes them easier to remember.
Resist the urge to be perfect
You'll see that I've included some 'how' words as well in the creativity section (these are marked with a little cross). Technically, these aren't really correct - values are supposed to be more about how you want to 'be' rather than what you want to 'do'. But I resisted the urge to be perfect (something I find so difficult!). I was going to redo it but chose not to because I wanted you to see that it can be messy and imperfect and you can veer slightly off track but it will ultimately still serve the same purpose.
Are you aligned with your values?
Once you've refined your values, check in with them and see how you're tracking. My values don't change much but periodically I know that I'm more aligned with some and less aligned with others. What jumped out at me most this time was my need for 'space'. This is something I don't have a great deal of at the moment and an area that needs some attention. Another reason for me not redoing the mind map was that it was going to take time away from other things (essentially creating less 'space').
What are your values? And are you aligned with them?
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2 comments:
Still reading and being inspired by you Kate - You always seem to put things just the way I need to hear them. Just a side line to the perfectionism you are talking about here and also because I thought this would appeal to you. Have a look at this music video and the making of it on the following 2 youtube links. Fun, perfect, quirky and simply a lovely song too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOu0DuxFAT0&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIH4MJAC2Tg&feature=youtu.be
We use the exact same process before giving financial advice to our clients Kate. We help our clients define the personal values and reflect back on these values (independence, freedom, leaving a legacy for example) before making major (and sometimes minor) financial decisions. Essential that decisions are made with what is most fulfilling in life in mind (something great) rather than something we think we're supposed to aim for such as accumulating assets or tax benefits (something good, not great...).
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