I realise that the title of this blog is a little...well odd really but as it's about Core Values (yes I did actually go there) it seemed to be suitable.
In my previous blog I talked about how You Are You Greatest Investment whereby spending time and money on your own personal development is one of the best things you can do. In this blog I'm going to take this a step further because if your core values are out of alignment then you may struggle to find fulfilment in your goals or indeed set goals or feel good.
Our core values are our inner beliefs about ourselves, lives, and the world around us. Core values help us decide what is most important in our lives. They are the measure we can use to determine if life is going the way we want. Another way of describing core values is as a Life Compass which influences our decision making and motivates us.
Very often the first port of call with a new Life Coaching client is for me to help them identify their core values and, if necessary, reconnect with them.
Let's take the top five (in no particular order) and talk briefly about what it could mean if they're in balance.
Integrity - Knowing what's right and doing it. Standing up for what you believe in.
Diligence - Perserverance, determination and desire to complete any task successfully
Accountability - Accepting full responsibility for your words, actions and choices. Being committed to a task results in trust from others.
Discipline - Self-control to be able to do whatever is necessary. (This is an inner guide that doesn't depend on external rules and punishments.)
Honesty - If you're honest there's less worry and less stress.
There are many more core values: Dedication, Loyalty, Respect, Compassion, Positivity...the list can be as long as you wish it to be.
Everyone has aspects that are very important to them and everyone's list will be different. But not many of us could explain or describe what we consider to be our Core Values. However, being able to identify your Core Values is essential as they tell you what is most important to you; what makes you tick; what makes up your character; what you find acceptable or not. If you don't live upto your Core Values, you may not feel fulfilled even if a task is successful. For example, if you get some money through slightly dishonest means, you may feel guilty about it if your Core Values include Honesty and Integrity. Inner strengths make us all special and it is important to remember we all have different values.
Take some time now to identify what you have as your Core Values/Inner Strengths.
When you've done that, think about the values that add meaning to your life.
How did you find those exercises? I must admit when I first tried it I struggled. We spend so much time dealing with other things that we don't take the time to think about things which are important to us. This needs to change and what better time to start than now?
If you'd like to book some Life Coaching, then please contact me.