what are your core values?
this question came up in an online course recently.
as i briefly skimmed through the assignment,
my first reaction was:
“this will be easy! i think about this stuff all the time!”
and i do.
i am constantly pondering what makes me tick, what is important to me,
what is behind the actions i take, what motivates me.
but sitting and writing it all out,
in a succinct way that still captures the essence of all that is meaningful to me?
well, it was a bit more difficult than i’d imagined.
i thought about it, i took notes, i observed patterns, i pieced things together.
and i eventually ended up with my 5 core values.
1. demonstrating GRIT:
- passionately standing up for myself
- absolutely refusing to ever give up
- following through with determination, improvising when/where necessary
2. being ADVENTUROUS:
- experiencing a bigger-than-life existence
- exhibiting the willingness to try new things
- reveling in my independence
3. being AUDACIOUS and UNSTOPPABLE:
- manifesting boldness
- always always learning
- pushing the limits beyond what is comfortable and familiar to me
4. embracing FREEDOM:
- expanding my domain as a global nomad
- living without conventions or tethers
- continuously merging my existing self with my true essence
5. leading a CREATIVELY DESIGNED EXISTENCE:
- deliberately composing and directing new chapters of my story
- developing my own definition of who/what i should be
- integrating all of the aspects of my life into one meaningful coherent whole
i guess nothing on my list is too surprising.
i often write about these five areas.
and i will still be refining and revising
as long as i am able to consciously employ my mind.
every time i examine and analyze myself,
whenever i figure out what makes sense for me at any given time.
but the general theme will stay the same.
it’s who i am, deep down inside.
do i embody some of these values already?
oh yes.
all of them?
not yet.
but i am making every effort to seamlessly assimilate and absorb my 5 core values.
what are YOUR core values?
are you living them?
if not, are you making every attempt to do so?
I love this post! Excellent food for thought.
Freedom and adventure are two of mine (they’re even on my business cards) and resilience (kinda like grit) is one I always wish I had more of.
Great post.
Xx
I love the strength and conviction you bring to all of your work, April – and I agree, these aren’t surprising to me at all since you most certainly LIVE it!
If you had asked me this question a month ago, I probably would have given you a quick and solid answer – but I recently read Deborah King’s book “Be Your Own Shaman,” and one of the chapters was all about questioning what you believe to be your values.
Of course, I haven’t made a complete 180 – compassionate curiosity and intuitive decision making are still at the top – but, for now, I’m allowing myself to explore what might be shifting in my world within, to make room for the new in my world without.
Like you I will need some time on answering my 5 core values.
The 1st 5 words that came to mind are Strength, Honesty, Kindness, Spiritual, Positive. I’ll sit with that and explore why those popped in quickly. Love thinking about it, thank you!
Beautiful April! And based on my observations, I think you DO exhibit all 5!! Like you, my 5 would be difficult to articulate, but I think Authenticity, Humor, Growth, Positivity and Love would be mine. I’m certainly going to explore this further though! <3
I’ve been playing around with the idea of my core values off & on for the last year. The two that keep coming up are Sustainability – in all aspects of my life, not just about the environment, and Connection. Off the top of my head, Truth, Intuition and Learning would fill in the last 3. Do I live them? Some days better than others, but I’m willing to keep seeking their wisdom.
This is a great reminder to not just know our core values but know how we’re incorporating those into our lives. Thanks for this! And, love your list!
Ohhhhh… “”Passionately standing up for myself”. Ding ding ding!
That’s always been a toughie for me. I’m too “nice”.
But I got a little practice last week.
One — with my vet who thought I was a little nuts and one of those people who gets into trouble on the Internet by diagnosing themselves or their loved ones with rare, horrible diseases? Well, guess what? My dog has the rare disease. And she is now getting treatment and doing so much better because I DEMANDED the diagnostic test. YES!!!
Two — with someone whom I hired to do a job for my business, who doesn’t like to communicate, and who likes to pass the blame. I’m always willing to take the blame when it’s legitimate, but ohhhh nooooo. You picked the wrong woman on the wrong week, buddy. And I’m not going to be “nice” and take on the burden of your communication problems and unprofessionalism.
Pass more of the GRIT, please! I’m on a roll! 🙂
Whew! That felt good. THANK YOU, April!
Clarity, Strength, Radiance, Contribution, & Inspiration… and that tends to be what I write about too. And, its the first thing I talk about in my program. It is SO true that if you know what they are a align based on your core values, things get easier. And it gets easier to say No to what doesn’t work for you.
Its inspiring to read your post April. Thanks for sharing your core values. Freedom, love, adventure, playfulness and authenticity are mine. I like to re-visit them once a year or two and re-align my professional and personal goals with these. I find it helps me stay focussed and unambiguous. Its important to have an inner compass that guides us through life 🙂
What wonderful core values! I know where you are coming from when you think it will be an easy task, but putting pen to paper is a little more difficult. How do you put feelings into words? My core values are something I embrace and feel deeply every day, but to define them and consolidate something so vast into a few sentences is challenging. Love, integrity, passion, resilience, and growth would best describe mine.
Wonderful exercise. I have always found that by living by my core values and paying attention to my Core Desired Feelings, as taught by Danielle LaPorte, I always end up exactly where I’m supposed to be. Great post.
April, first off, I wish I were with you in Santiago! I’ve always wanted to visit, i’m sure I will soon. I appreciate you listing out your core values. My core values are: Listening to God, Learning all the time, Taking care of my family and myself, Spreading love and generosity through travel, Being true. Thank you for another great post.
It is great to not just think about your values, but see how you are playing them out in your life, or not! I wrote a post about that once, when I realised I had left some of my core values behind many years ago. !
Now I stay true myself as much as I can humanly do so.
so what are mine
I value
truth integrity and authenticity
justice, respect and self care
trust in my intuition
Freedom and autonomy
love to you
deb
As I read your list – it just lit me up from the inside. inspirational and a great reminder – sometimes I just forget. Smiling as I type this – so thank you xx