Core Values

Your “ideal self” — how you want to be and behave out in the world (if you were free of all self-doubt, fear, insecurities, etc.) trying to find words that resonate with what your ideal self looks like, sounds like, acts like

Here is a list of “core value” words if you need some inspiration

  • Don’t follow the instructions in the link above unless you feel drawn to
  • I don’t particularly love the final core value examples in the exercise above (step 3) because they aren’t very actionable on a conversation to conversation basis, but you get the gist

The words you come up with should help empower you to do, say and act the way you truly want to in the moment (the way your “ideal self” would)

  • For example: let’s say you are wanting to kindly tell someone you don’t have the capacity to listen right this minute, but are worried about not being “nice” so you end up saying nothing. This is an example of where “nice” works against us (comes at a personal cost)

  • however, if “honesty” or “authenticity” were a core value of yours, you can recall that in the moment and choose to act in alignment with your ideal self by honoring your core values and therefore being honest and saying what’s so (that you don’t have capacity to listen)

  • journal to find what I like about myself, why I like what I like
  • identify behaviors I find annoying and see which values those behaviors violate
  • identify my goto behaviors like being nice. Reflect on where they don’t serve me and how I can counterbalance it with values.
    • For example, “prioritizing other people’s needs”.
      • This is coming from a good place, but if we always prioritize others needs over our own it will absolutely come at a personal cost
    • Find a word that resonates with you as a balance to “prioritizing others”. A word that would help keep you from doing that in the moment
      • Some possible examples; self-respect, balance, responsibility (to others AND self), self-control, accountability (self & others / not picking up everybody else’s slack or requests just because you can), etc.
      • Remember, there is no “right” word. It is 100% based on you and your preferences, goals, attitudes
      • The main thing is the word should feel actionable. It should easily push you to do what your ideal self wants to do rather than what you think you “should” do