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Live a Life Aligned with Your Values

Angel LewisJourney
'Values' is a word that can have a variety of meanings. For clarity, the Cambridge Dictionary's definition will be used - 'the principles that help you to decide what is right and wrong, and how to act in various situations'. This definition shows how our values can touch every aspect of our lives. Living a life of value is becoming increasingly difficult in a world where most people are chasing after popularity, protecting their spaces, and 'freedom'. The things that are done and said can be so unbelievable that you wonder how some people sleep at night. Each of us must determine what are good values for us. Embracing Change champions the values of kindness, compassion, gratitude, happiness and peace.


Let's examine the benefits of living a value aligned life.

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Image by Mạnh Nguyễn Hồng from Pixabay

Values pave a clear path for us to fulfill our purpose. As mentioned previously, values are principles or standards of behavior. Boundaries and limits will ensure that we do not get derailed. Therefore, values help us determine what we can or cannot do as we walk our life journey and try to maintain who we need to be as per our purpose. As we remain on this path, we are guaranteed that we will live out who we should be, regardless of what we face along the way. Aligning our daily activities with our values puts us in a better position to or improves our chances of achieving our goals.

It helps us to determine what is important to us. Our values keep us focused on things that matter and guide decision making. For example, our values will determine what things to pay attention to from the conversations we engage in with friends. As a result, anything else that is against personal goals is not given room to influence us. This further determines the way we respond as we interact with others. The importance of what we do, see or hear should depend on how it draws us closer to what we want to be. Our choice of what jobs, friends, and hobbies to have must be based on our values.

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It helps us build better and functional relationships. Having clear values and living according to them helps people understand us better and vice versa. As we align our life with our values, we come to an understanding that we are who we are by choice and that others have the freedom to make their own choices and be who they want to be. We appreciate diversity better because we understand we are all running different races and will not finish at the same time. This minimizes misunderstandings and unrealistic expectations. Also, our intentions as we interact with others are guided by our principles which also compels us to know where to draw the line as far as discussions are concerned. This keeps us from saying things we shouldn’t say and from doing things we shouldn’t do.

Staying true to ourselves and experiencing genuine happiness. When we do things that are aligned with who we really are, we are not under pressure to please others. We do not feel the need to try and fit in or make sacrifices for the sake of social status. We know what we are doing and why, which gives us feelings of contentment. Living according to our values also keeps us from doing things that are likely to be regretted in the future. We find life more fulling when we know all we are and all we have was acquired without the need to do anything that is out of character. We do not feel like we owe any human being for it and we do not live in fear of the possibility of our deals coming back to haunt us.

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Image by Anil sharma from Pixabay

It helps us grow. Our values set a clear path for us as we try to fulfill our purpose. This keeps us from taking any other route. This means that we face all the challenges that come our way without running away from any of them. As we do this, we gain more experience in dealing with challenges and take lessons that improve the way we do things, our planning included. Those who have faced challenges and did not look for an easy way out know that we come out of trying times wiser and stronger.

“If you don’t stick to your values when they are being tested, they’re not values, they’re hobbies.” Jon Stewart

Living a life that is in alignment with your values simply means that in our daily lives, we marry our plans or activities with our values. We are not to adjust our values based on what we want to do at a particular point in time. Rather, our daily life should fit into the requirements of our values. Values must only be changed if the adjustments are an improvement.

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Author

  • Angel Lewis

    Hello there! I'm Angel, an entrepreneur and writer who grew up in rural North Carolina and now resides in Virginia. My love for writing began during my time at Guilford College in Greensboro, NC. Over the past couple of years, I've authored two nonfiction books in the personal development genre. Along with writing for adults, I also created 'Ready. Set. Fly!', a children's book that inspires self-confidence and resilience. When I'm not writing, I enjoy gardening, reading, playing games, and spending time with those closest to me.

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2 thoughts on “Live a Life Aligned with Your Values”

  1. What a helpful post! Our personal values are the core of who we are as people, but often we forget to use them to help guide us. Thanks for the great reminder Angel!

    Reply

  2. I do agree with you regarding the importance of value. Each one of us might grow up having totally different values than someone else and that is understandable and acceptable. We all live expressing our values.

    Reply

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