Values.
Everyone has them.
Each person, their own set.
Changing throughout our lives.
Depending on the season we are in.
So, my counselor asked me to name mine.
Not just off the top of my head.
She wants me to really think about it.
Write about it.
Talk about it.
Come up with a list.
5 – 12 values.
Less than five?
Not enough.
More than twenty or so?
Too many.
Condense my thoughts.
Make a list.
Draw upon my past, present, and future.
The very values that make me who I am today.
If I can figure this out?
It will help me stay grounded.
Almost like a lighthouse on a stormy night.
When the waves get rough and the night is dark.
When confusion is surrounding me like a thick fog.
I can look at this list.
Remember what is most important in my life.
Who I am and what I am living for.
I love a good assignment.
A time to reflect.
A chance to learn and grow.
So, with paper and pen in hand,
I begin to write.
At the top of the page it reads “Values”.
And then I start brainstorming.
What makes me tick?
What gets me up in the morning?
Where am I going in this life?
And who am I taking with me?
Hmmmm….
Here’s a quick sample:
Jesus
Words
Peace
Fun
Adventure
Family
Children
Nature
Encouragement
Mental Health
Freedom
Non-violent resistance
Truth
Eye contact
A good hug
Gratitude
Beauty
Aesthetics
Vulnerability
Honesty
Tolerance
Joy
Laughing
Creating
Dreaming
And so on, and so on…
My list is long.
I will condense it into some sort of themes ~
- Learning
- Relationships
- Spirituality
- Beauty
- Fun
- Mental Health
I will keep the list in a place where I can access it easily.
You see, if these values are the at the forefront of my mind?
When I get stuck.
When I’m making mountains out of molehills.
When dark clouds hover.
And I don’t know the next step to take.
I can go back to the basics.
Pick a value.
And take one little step toward cultivating this in my life.
Am I making sense at all?
Maybe this is actually one of my values?
Making sense.
Having people understand me.
I will put this under learning or relationships.
Both are very important to me.
Kevin is figuring his own values out alongside of me.
They look a little different than mine.
Organization is one of his.
So is music.
And as we figure this all out together?
We can learn how to love each other better.
Give space for our differences.
And team up on the ones we have in common.
There is beauty in all of this.
And organization.
No wonder Kevin and I are loving this assignment.
Ok, so what are some of your values?
What makes you tick?
Let’s talk about it.
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