How do we know what our values are?

I joked on the podcast this week (episode 117) about the pressure to box tick all the ‘good values’ in order to live our best lives.  My amazing guest, ex CIA agent, now successful and inspirational CEO, Rupal Patel, reminded me that our actions show us which values we hold most dear.  Nail on the head.

 

 

Whilst looking through old notebooks, I recently found a ‘how I want to be remembered’ extract I wrote a couple of years ago.  I am happy to share it:

She was present and always showed up fully.  She was warm, real and lots of fun.  She would sing and dance as often as possible and always encouraged others to do the same.  She brought good energy wherever she went.  She was curious and open minded, a great listener.  She always saw the best in people.  She loved hard.  She was a free spirit who would seek out adventures and do things that brought her joy.  She encouraged others to do the same. She helped people to do less and be more.  She hugged long and hard.  She loved spending time in nature and would go wild swimming as often as possible.  She lived a life full of passion.  She was creative, a thought leader and a change maker.  She was a leader who makes a difference.  She was a loving Mum who raised her kids to be confident and kind.  She took time to remind others of how amazing they are.  She used her mistakes to help others.  She had a wild side but was grounded, gentle and calm.  She read lots and loved all things self development. She made deep connections.  She helped others smile and laugh.  She had a strong faith, which helped her navigate through the highs and the lows.  

Based off of this, it is clear that my values are fun, honesty, love, adventure, freedom, kindness and gentleness to name a few.  I think it’s exhausting trying to be everything to everyone.  Writing how you would like people to describe you, based on the actions and behaviours that bring you to life, is a fantastic starting point to ensure you are on the right track.  I would also encourage you to keep a note of compliments.  Think of words you want to hold onto.  Last week, I received this message.  Feedback is important and I believe that we should be thankful for it.  I want to hold onto the words warm, open and generous because that is who I am.

It’s important to remember that in order to walk our talk, we need to get the basics right so that we are strong enough.  Quality sleep, a healthy diet, exercise, time to relax and unwind, healthy relationships and creative projects are all important so that we are able to give to others and serve as best as we can.  When I was broken and unwell, there were times that I wasn’t strong enough to show love or compassion.  I wasn’t strong enough to be the ‘real me’.  The real me and the real you = our best self.

As Rupal and I disucss, our social and mental surroundings have a massive influences on who we become – not just people but the films we watch, the music we listen to, the books we read, the podcasts we consume.  They all have a powerful impact.  Sometimes we need to take some action to increase our energy and engagegment with life.

I have put a video link to our podcast below, episode 117 is available across all the key podcast channels so jump in, why not get the body moving and let us join you as you walk, run, clean or take us in the bath with you.