Thrive as you, not as someone else.
In this blog post we will be talking about self actualization; realizing the best version of ourselves. And I highlight ourselves on purpose. What often happens when we want to improve and grow is that we work on qualities that we believe are “good ones”, but they may not be necessarily in line with our essence, our strengths or our core values.
Living a fulfilling and impactful life always starts with getting to know ourselves, honoring and accepting the good and the bad and having the courage to share our authentic self with the world. To be the unique person we are. Fully.
Today we will guide you through defining your core values, and see how that translates into your creative force and alignment.
Core values
Core values are who we are when no one is watching, it’s what we believe in and aspire to without wearing any masks.
Belonging, independence, safety, dependability, freedom, excellence, selflessness, equality.. the list goes on…Defining our core values is important in the process of knowing ourselves better. It helps us to reveal in which areas of life we want to realign and maybe change, and it’s a tool for direction when we feel overwhelmed or confused. Being clear about our values protects who we are and what we really care about, it shapes our purpose and our contribution to the greater good.
Create a flow for yourself….
If we don’t define and align with our core values, life just won’t have a good flow.
For example, it could be that you may feel disrespected and undervalued and work or at home, but you don’t know how to get out of it. If you take the time to define your values you might see that you are surrounded by people who don’t share the same values and that it’s time to move on, or you simply have not communicated them clearly enough for people to understand you.
Another scenario could be that one of your core values is to be financially secure, and the main purpose of your work is to make money. That is OK. If you for some reason don’t want to stand for that and cover up your intentions with a different narrative, the way you operate will be inconsistent, unclear and manipulative. On the contrary, if you stand for the fact that your priority is to make money, your honesty will be respected, you will be supported by the people with the same ambition, and you can take consistent efficient decisions towards your goals without friction.
…and for your business.
As an organisation it is invaluable to define your values, live by them and communicate them. As an employee you want to feel part of something bigger, you want to feel supported in who you are by contributing to a workplace that shares the same purpose. That builds a feeling of belonging and creates genuine motivation.
If you as a business are not clear about your values, time and money will be spent on people that do not thrive by being part of your team, and the team efforts will not have momentum in the same direction. Even more damaging is claiming to have a value but not acting accordingly which creates a culture of dishonesty and separation – a downward spiral difficult to reverse.
Define… and now jump!
“Life shrinks and expands in proportion to our courage” Anais Nin
One thing is to define your values, another is to have the courage to express them and therefore maybe surprise and disappoint people who were comfortable with ‘the old you’. Courage means making bolder decisions and taking more risk, and the more you ‘practice courage’ the quicker you take those decisions for the right reasons. See any difficult choice you have to make as an opportunity to practice honoring your values and yourself.
Create the habit of checking in with your core values on a daily basis, honor them in everything you do, and you will see how little by little it feels less daunting and more empowering to stand for what you believe in. To be the unique you living aligned with your core values is where real creative life force begins.
If you want to talk to one of our coaches on how we can help you define your values, aligned with them and become an decisive, consistent and trusted leader, click the button below to set up a free-of-charge call to create your roadmap to authentic power.