Discover Your Values

Identifying our values helps us understand when and how we can be more aligned in our choices and actions which leads to greater fulfillment and peace in our lives. The following is a way in which you can discover your values.

1. What was your Peak Experience? Think of a time when you felt deeply engaged and fulfilled. What were the circumstances? What made this moment special? What actions, behaviours, feelings, attitudes and strengths did you use? What values were you honouring in the moment? Write a list of key words and phrases.

2. Reflect on a time when you experienced intense frustration, anger or felt conflicted. What was going on? How did you feel? What was the impact? What value was being supressed or violated?

3. What do you feel is missing? Is there something in your life that feels like if you had more of it you would feel fulfilled, happy or at peace? Add this to your list.

4. Review your list. What are the top 3 - 6 values that have come up for you? Now rate these in ranking order of importance. If you need help there are many lists of values you can also refer to and find the words that resonate best for you.

Questions to ask to increase your awareness of how you live these values are as follows:

• When and where have you felt this value at play in your life?

• What is it like when this value is honoured?

• What is it like when this value is violated?

• How and where does this value show up in your life right now?

• How satisfied are you with each value showing up in your life? (Rate on a scale of 1- 10)

• For those values rated less than 7, what is this costing you? What is the impact? How would you like this to be different? What will that give you?

• What would it take for you to live this value more fully in your life? How can you honour this value in your life? What actions can you take? What changes do you need to make

• What small steps can you take to increase your satisfaction and choices in living this value in your life?

• What dramatic / radical step can you take?

As you start to live your values, make decisions and take actions that are aligned to those values, you will notice feelings of peace, harmony and fulfillment in your life. We tend to experience discord and unhappiness when our choices, actions and our careers are not aligned to our values. As we start to change and live more fully and authentically, our inner critic/gremlin/negative self talk may appear more frequently. This is common and important to acknowledge it and choose which voice to listen to in order to stay committed and aligned to our values.

Michelle Scott