Nurturing Your Inner Compass: A Personal Values Exercise

In the pursuit of happiness, understanding our personal values is paramount. These values, forged by our experiences and aspirations, serve as the cornerstone of our identity.

They shape our decisions, guide our actions, and ultimately define the path we tread.

To embark on this journey of self-discovery, here’s a reflective exercise that can help.

First: Get some paper and a pen.

Now, find a quiet space, free from distractions, and take a few moments to center yourself.

Close your eyes.

Take a few slow deep belly breaths, relaxing into this reflective time.

Allow your mind to wander back to moments of profound happiness and fulfillment.

As you bask in the warmth of these memories, ask yourself:

What was important to me in those moments? Was I alone? With others? What made these times so memorable?

What is important to me now? Why? How does that have me feel?

To help you identify your values, here is a partial list of some core values:

Love, health, self-worth, abundance, wonder, honesty, integrity, kindness, adventure, compassion, courage, altruism; well-being, wealth, joy, freedom, compassion, laughter, adventure, fun, beauty, generosity, intelligence, talent, wisdom, prosperity, peace, spirituality, trust, ethics, truth, friendships, family, creativity, inspiration, grace, opportunity, self respect; gratitude, standing up for oneself to name a few!

The list can go on, but this can help you find your words for your own values.

Now, take that pen and start writing down what came up for you during the reflective time.

As previously noted, you may want to keep working on this over several days…or you may find you are good to go with this one time.

Whenever you complete this, take a few moments to honestly assess for yourself what values you are being true to and what values you may need to get more aligned with at this time in your life.

No judgements, no blame, no shaming-just explorations for yourself to support you in creating more happiness and fulfillment in your life!

Now share your discoveries here, please! I’d love to hear!