What are values?
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When we say that we value something in our lives, we really mean that we care about something so deeply that other parts of our life are affected by this belief.
Maybe we put our family above everything else, or perhaps our faith. In either case, each person has their own set of values that drive us into making decisions that either support or upset them.
Values can affect every part of our life, whether we realize it or not.
You might make a decision about a job based on your inner values about money or whether or not you’re helping your fellow man. Take the newer trend of high powered business executives leaving their large pay checks behind for the simpler life of family togetherness and simplicity.
These once success oriented professionals have realized that their life isn’t just about money, it’s about the people that surround them. Perhaps they just want to spend more time at home, rather than at the office. Or maybe they woke up one day and thought that they could do more with the skills that they have.
Maybe this person is you.
You don’t have to be a business executive to want to live your life by your values. In fact, many people are quite content in their high-paying jobs and feel that their values are congruent with their position and responsibilities.
And that’s just great.
But if you’re feeling like something is ‘off’ in your life, you might want to consider the impact that your job or your lifestyle is having on your inner values.
Think to yourself about what you feel is important in your life. You may have learned these sorts of lessons in your childhood or through your faith.
What drives you to make decisions? What do you value?
The sticky part of this process is that many people confuse their personal values with society’s values. They think that if everyone else agrees with them, then they’re on the right track.
Even if they are miserable.
What you value doesn’t have to match what the overall population thinks is important, though they may be the same for some people.
You already know what you think is important and what is not, and those are your true values.
You value your children and your family and friends. You value being honest and gentle, perhaps even being optimistic.
You may find that you value wisdom and perseverance.
And you don’t need to read a bunch of self-help books just to find out what values there are. You already know.
It may help to go back over the major decisions in your life and think about how you dealt with them. What drove you to the end result? Were you happy or were you left dissatisfied?
Many of us already know that we aren’t living a life that closely matches our value system, but that’s only because we’re not sure what our value system is. Perhaps it’s been corrupted for so long that we’re just out of touch.
Do you feel like that? Do you feel as though you’ve lost a part of yourself?
That’s your values trying to raise their hand and be recognized. They want to have a say in your life and in your happiness.
That’s what they’re there for.
