Your values are the guidelines of your life, and the principles through which you make the choices that truly matter to you. When one is aligned with their core values, they feel in total flow, in complete harmony with the world, and an unquestionable trust in the Universe’s miraculous ways of unfolding. Every choice they make is optimal for their growth and success, and life becomes a playful ground of endless possibilities. They live an ultimately abundant, prosperous, and successful life. On the other hand, when a person acts in conflict with their core values, they make choices that are sometimes inauthentic, and that could be damaging to their health, life, and surroundings. Life seems more of a battleground where, at any moment, unpredictable events can happen and threaten their well-being. If life currently seems like a turmoil to you, the good news is that at any time, you can turn inward and listen to your inner wisdom for guidance. Some of your needs, either material or existential, are waiting to be acknowledged, and once met, life takes a new direction towards fulfillment, meaning, and realization.
Values are very unique to each individual. To comprehend your guiding values, ask yourself: What truly matters to you? What do you presently and authentically need the most to be at your highest? If you are unsure, start by becoming aware of your general feelings. A feeling first manifests itself as a very subtle, intuitive gut sensation expressing an inner or outer need to be fulfilled. When overlooked, these needs turn into more generalized, encompassing states of being. As an example, the overall feeling of loneliness may show an underlying need for relationships and intimacy; it indicates that some of one’s choices and actions don’t align with their core value for intimate, nurtured relationships. Furthermore, when facing a major decision, the best choice is usually the one arising in your heart and mind right before cognitive reasoning takes authority over your decision-making. A lot of time, we make choices based on conditioned, traditional beliefs about life, success, and happiness, instead of listening to our own authentic voice. The key is to overcome the fear of making decisions beyond the confines of logical reasoning, and which potentially come with obstacles. Trust that difficult challenges are part of your growth and that your values will intuitively guide you in the most rewarding, fulfilling journey to a meaningful and successful life.
To summarize, here are 3 things you can do to align your choices with your core values:
- Listen to your intuitive feelings — With introspective meditation, it is possible to understand the underlying needs behind your feelings. What do you wish to feel instead, and what choices of actions will fulfill those needs?
- Get out of your comfort zone — Sometimes, making the best choices means countering collective beliefs and traditions. How will you manage and stay strong facing objections and criticisms?
- Trust your gut— Although a decision may not seem like the easiest path, it could be the most rewarding and fulfilling one. Trust your gut and the Universe that the difficulties you’ll encounter are part of your learning journey to fulfill your most transcendent needs.
Elie Abou-Jaoude is a Certified Life Coach, ICF, FCC, who brings a transpersonal and holistic approach to coaching, and helps individuals go through major life transformations and reach their fullest human potential. Always provides a culturally-sensitive, compassionate, and supportive environment.