Discover Your Values and Live a More Authentic Life

Living authentically means ensuring that the things you say and do genuinely reflect what you believe to be important. It's easy to get caught up in the daily grind, making choices based on external pressures or expectations. But when you take the time to identify and align with your core values, you unlock a more meaningful and fulfilling life. This is your roadmap to authentic living.

What Are Core Values and Why Are They Important?

Core values are the fundamental beliefs that guide your decisions and behaviors. They're the principles you hold most dear, reflecting what's truly important to you. Examples of core values include integrity, compassion, creativity, family, growth, and justice, among many others. There are many potential values, but some common ones include integrity, compassion, security, and service, as detailed by James Clear's Core Values List.

These values serve as your internal compass, helping you navigate life's complexities. When your actions align with your values, you experience a sense of purpose and fulfillment. You make decisions with greater confidence and experience reduced inner conflict. As Brené Brown emphasizes, "Living into our values means that we do more than profess our values, we practice them." We walk our talk.

Values are powerful tools for decision-making and goal setting, and contribute to wellbeing. Research has demonstrated that living according to your values is "associated with enhanced performance, creativity, and happiness".

The Cost of Misalignment

When your actions and choices consistently contradict your core values, it creates inner dissonance. This misalignment can manifest as stress, anxiety, dissatisfaction, and even physical health problems. Studies show that misalignment between values and actions can increase chronic stress and burnout.

Imagine a person who deeply values family but constantly works late, missing important milestones. Or someone who values honesty but finds themselves compromising their integrity in a competitive work environment. These internal conflicts take a toll, leading to decreased well-being and a sense of being "off track." There can be many negative consequences to not living your organizational core values, including cultural misalignment, decreased employee engagement, and inconsistent decision-making.

How to Identify Your Core Values

Discovering your core values is a process of self-reflection and exploration. There's no magic formula, but several exercises can help you gain clarity:

1. Reflect on Peak Experiences: Think about times in your life when you felt most alive, fulfilled, and proud. What values were you honoring in those moments? What made them meaningful?
2. Consider Your Inspirations: Who do you admire, and why? What qualities do they possess that resonate with you? Their values might reflect your own.
3. Examine Your Discomfort: Think about times when you felt frustrated, angry, or uneasy. What values were being violated?
4. Use a Values List: Explore comprehensive lists of values and circle the ones that resonate most strongly with you. Don't overthink it; trust your gut feeling.
5. Values Clarification Exercises: Many well established values exercises are available, such as the values clarification exercise by Brene Brown.

Remember, this is a personal journey. Be honest with yourself, and don't choose values you think you should have. Focus on what genuinely matters to you. For a deeper dive, consider exploring our existing post, "Unlock Authentic Fulfillment by Decoding Your Core Values."

Prioritizing Your Values

Once you have a list of potential values, it's time to prioritize. It's unlikely that all values will hold equal weight. Some are more fundamental to who you are.

One approach is to narrow your list to a top five or ten, then compare them pairwise. Ask yourself: "If I could only live by one of these two values, which would I choose?" This process, though sometimes challenging, helps reveal your core priorities. You might find it helpful to prioritize your top values.

It is helpful to remember that you can change your mind about values. Although they are fundamental, it is okay for them to change over time.

Aligning Your Actions with Your Values

Identifying your values is just the first step. The real transformation happens when you actively integrate them into your daily life. Here's how:

1. Set Value-Driven Goals: Instead of setting arbitrary goals, ensure your goals align with your core values. For example, if you value creativity, a goal might be to dedicate time each week to a creative project.
2. Make Mindful Choices: Before making a decision, ask yourself: "Does this choice align with my values?" This simple question can guide you toward more authentic choices.
3. Evaluate Your Activities: Regularly review how you spend your time and energy. Are your activities aligned with your values, or are they draining you? Adjust as needed. Check out our post, "Forge Your Path A Guide to Building a Value-Driven Life," for more on this topic.
4. Practice Saying "No": Saying "no" to commitments that conflict with your values frees up time and energy for what truly matters. Don't be afraid to learn to say "no".

As Simon Sinek advocates in his "Start With Why" concept, understanding your "why" (your core values) drives purpose and passion. Your "why" provides the foundation for your "how" (the actions you take) and your "what" (the results you achieve).

Overcoming Challenges

Living in alignment with your values isn't always easy. You'll likely encounter obstacles:

• External Pressures: Societal expectations, family pressures, or workplace demands can pull you away from your values.
• Conflicting Priorities: Sometimes, values may seem to clash (e.g., family vs. career). Finding balance requires careful consideration and compromise.
• Fear and Self-Doubt: Stepping outside your comfort zone to live authentically can be scary. It might involve taking risks or making difficult choices. There can be many obstacles to living in alignment with our values, such as social pressures, fear of rejection, and self-doubt.

To overcome these challenges, cultivate self-awareness, practice self-compassion, and seek support from like-minded individuals. Remember that it's a journey, not a destination. There will be times when you stumble, and that's okay. The key is to keep returning to your values and making conscious choices to realign.

Values as Your Source of Resilience

When you live in accordance with your values, you build resilience. You become better equipped to navigate challenges and bounce back from setbacks. Why? Because you're grounded in something deeper than external circumstances. Your values provide a sense of meaning and purpose, even in difficult times. Your values can be a great source of strength in helping face adversity.

Living in accordance with your own values can make you much more resilient. When you are living authentically you reduce inner turmoil, which reduces chronic stress.

Discovering and living your core values is a transformative journey. It's a path toward greater authenticity, fulfillment, and resilience. If you're seeking further guidance, check out our posts, "Unlock Your Authentic Self A Guide to Living Your Values" and "Redefine Success and Live a Life True to Your Values." Start exploring your values today, and create a life that truly reflects who you are.

WonderSage can help you create a personalized self-help book to guide you on your journey to a more value-driven life.