Values
My 5 core values
In late August (and September 1), I wrote up a post each day on LinkedIn about my values list.
I needed to refine the list and wanted some external motivation and accountability to reflect on each value word as a concept. Think through whether they were actually a core value or not…
Back in June, in my class on values (life coach training), we defined values as guiding principles and the standards of behaviour we consider most important in life.
Let’s find out if my list of values are actually guiding principles for me, or just words…
I’ll go through my 4 value words and list what comes to mind for each.
Warmth
what I want each person to feel when I pay attention to them, what I want to convey in my interactions
my body’s reaction to “warmth”: my shoulders drop an inch or so, my forehead/brows soften, and I kinda smile
I think of tilting my face to the non-winter sun and feeling warmth on my skin… and bonus when there’s a cooling breeze every so often. I can hear chirping birds and friends chattering and laughing with each other nearby
it feels spacious, like I have an abundance of time
it all seems soft
Honesty
(replaced “integrity”)
open sharing, emotional vulnerability
courageous communication, being direct and assertive
my needs matter, my inner world is important
curiosity, open-minded, to listen
sharing my humanity, being real and authentic
Boldness
courage to stay strong, being true to myself
doing the things I want regardless of how others might perceive it
being bold about my self, my personality, interests, skills - showing my enthusiasm and excitement, being earnest, making jokes, dressing kind of fancy whether I’m at home all day or going grocery shopping…
“boldness is all about staying true to myself, regardless of how others might perceive me.” - Shim
Flow
(replaced “ease”)
a stream of running water, not impeded or blocked, able to flow around and over obstacles - moving slowly, fast, and all speeds in between
the opposite of hoarding between me and other people - of money, stuff, acts of kindness/service…
links with the interconnections between us and how we interact with each other and non-humans
feeling myself sink in (shoulders: down), feeling grounded and settled
—
As I learned in class at Rhodes back in June, values are used as a foundational and directional life compass to:
have a solid sense of self,
live authentically and meaningfully,
align decision-making, and
feel satisfied and fulfilled.
To recap: Warmth, flow, honesty, boldness.
Are they guiding principles and the standards of behaviour I consider most important in my life? Yes.
And, they feel a bit incomplete. Am I missing something more directional? communal/societal? spiritual? Yes.
Trust
in the Divine
that I’m safe
that I will always remember who I am, and return
that what is mine will come to me
that I’ll live my life fully as my truest self/soul, being me more often than not, enough so that when [after death] I’m asked if I was שמעונה אריאלה הירשברג I can honestly, warmly, and boldly (*wink) say yes.
