What truly matters to you in your personal and professional life? 

When you say yes to opportunities, experiences, and lifestyle choices aligned with your values and say no to those that are not, doors open to a more joyful and meaningful life.

So let's uncover your core values and decide how to best work with them.

Step 1: Determining our core values.

From the list below, choose and write down every core value that resonates with you. 

This is not a thinking exercise. It’s a feeling one. 

Relax and Breathe

So let's relax your nervous system and be fully present here now. 

Sit in a comfortable chair, your feet flat on the floor uncrossed and your spine straight. 

Close your eyes or gaze down, whatever is most relaxing for you. 

Breathe in through your nose and out through your nose, with the out-breath longer than the in-breath. 

Breathe like this at least 10 times.

Then as you breathe in, breathe in gratitude for making this time for yourself, and breathe out any stress or tension in your body; let it go. 

Breathe like this 10 times or more as well.

Notice how you feel as you continue to breathe and relax.

Create Your List

In this calm, relaxed state, read through the list below and write down any words that feel like core values.

If words come to you that are not on the list, write them down as well. 

Step 2: Group Similar Values

Group all similar values in a way that makes sense to you, by what you feel goes together. Create no more than five groups.  If you create more, drop the least important group(s) to you.

For example:

Group 1:  Courageous, Decisiveness, Dedication, Innovation, Originality

Group 2:  Resourcefulness, Risk Taking, Preparedness, Resilience, Responsibility

Group 3: Empathy, Compassion, Fairness, Cooperation, Loyalty

Group 4: Calmness, Acceptance, Grace, Service, Spirituality

Step 3:   Choose Key Words

Choose one word from each group that represents the label for the entire group and circle it.  Again, this is a feeling choice, not a thinking choice. There are no right or wrong answers. It’s about your first impression, a feeling impression.

For example:

Group 1:  Decisiveness

Group 2: Preparedness

Group 3: Empathy

Group 4: Acceptance

Group 5: Flexibility

Step 4: Add a Verb to Each Value

Add a verb to each value, so you see it as an actionable value. 

For example:

Choose decisiveness.

Promote preparedness.

Model empathy.

Live in acceptance.

Act with flexibility.

Write your statements down to remind and guide you to live more purposely. 

Step 5: Prioritize Your List

Finally, write your core-value statements in order of priority.

For example:

Live in acceptance.

Model empathy.

Promote preparedness.

Choose decisiveness.

Act with flexibility.

Post your value statements so that they are visible and accessible.

Know that they are there when you need to make decisions.

Be grateful they are there to remind you what's important to you and the kind of person you are choosing to be.

And Remember

You are still evolving and growing. 

You're not the same person you were ten years ago, and you'll be different five years from now. 

So, revisit your core values periodically and keep your vision of where you are headed, your alignment, and who you are choosing to be, current and meaningful to you in a heartfelt way.