How are you leading your life?

In the past two blogs, we have asked the fundamental questions of “Who are You?” and “What is Your Purpose”. Our next life question is “How do you choose to lead your life?”

The fundamental theme here is leadership. The concept here is that we can take charge of the rudder of our own ship and lead our life in a direction that is fulfilling, balanced and happy. We may not be able to predict each storm that comes our way, but we can always make choices about how we perceive, learn and behave within the storm and afterwards.

Values are important.

A secondary theme within this question is values. By leading from our core values and principles, we live a life of no regret. We have been true to who we are at our very essence. Choices are much easier when we know what our core values are and use them to inform our decisions. When we compromise our values, we don’t feel good inside. Values are lighthouses that keep us in the deep waters, keeping us from running aground as long as we pay attention to them. Life tends to test our commitment to values to see if we can maintain our integrity no matter what external forces is pressuring us.

What are Your Values?

Values are deep. Each person has a set of values that is uniquely theirs. Although we are all different, if we find someone or some group that has similar values, then we will have found a rewarding relationship and a feeling of being home.

For a value to be true value, it must be lived. To commit to a certain value is noble, but it is not real unless our behavior matches our words. That is where many of us fail. We will speak one thing and do another. When we do this, others see us as being in-congruent and out of integrity. That creates distrust. For a value to be real, we must be able to walk the talk!

Values = Beliefs + Behavior

Values are seeded in our subconscious belief systems, so it is important to bring them into our conscious awareness so that we can make conscious decisions through them. It is also important to change any limiting subconscious beliefs that might prevent us from being in integrity with this essence, no matter what the situation.

How do you discover your values?

Values, like purpose, is a discovery. They are already there within you. The essence you came into this world and your life experience has shaped them. It is just a matter of uncovering what they are.

• One way to find your values is to look at a list of values and pick which ones are important to you. While this is helpful, in picking off a list, we might tend to “shop” for values which we “should have” rather than discover the essence of what is authentically present within us. You might also take the list and ask some people that know you well, what they believe your values are. 

• Another way to discover your values is to "mine your life experiences" for the essence of what has brought you fulfillment. What makes you happy & what are the values behind that? What are some peak experiences in your life and what are the values behind those? By examining our lives as we have lived them we can discover what “makes us tick”. Values bring us into a higher energy in life when we are living them and can bring us to a lower energy when we don’t.

   
  

Who and how are you being, as a leader of your life?

Questions for Reflection

What are your top 10 values?

Do you walk your talk with the integrity of your core values?

What different choices would you make if you were taking the lead of your life?

Lead with Me!