Living your values
Do you have a clear set of values that guide your life? Do you know what you need to thrive? When you know what matters to you and what you need to live a fulfilling and vibrant life, it is easier to make good decisions and live more authentically.
Decision-making can feel difficult and complex when you don’t have something to guide you. Without a solid foundation you can flounder and get stuck in overthinking. Or you may resort to making choices based on what others think you “should” be doing. The choices you make in your life matter; your decisions can move you closer to what you value, or further away.
While it can be tempting to make choices that are based on what you feel you “should” be doing, even if they may be out of alignment with your values, there’s often a pay-off for that disconnect. Your body may begin to show signs of stress or illness. You might begin to feel exhausted, restless, anxious, flat, bored or resentful. You may feel a sense that there’s something missing in your life.
However, when you make decisions that align, Brené Brown defines values as “a way of being or believing that we hold most important”. Your values are what matter most to you when it comes to how you live, how you work and the way you engage in relationships. Your values are your compass. Making value-based decisions means you end up doing more of the things you’re good at, that support you and that ultimately allow you to thrive.
