Yeah Simon, this really got to me too!
This week I was completely bowled over (and in tears) by Nightbirde’s
performance on America’s Got Talent.
If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly encourage you to watch it (I’ve included
right above here) and then come back to this email.
I’m not a usually up on what’s trending now but I received an email this
week that shared her performance video and I was transfixed and went
into a total research mode the rest of the day uncovering her backstory
and listening to a couple interviews.
I think what has captured so many people’s hearts is her ability to keep
following her dream even when life’s thrown her so many curve balls.
All week I’ve been thinking what I would do if I had received her diagnosis.
Would I choose to follow what is important to me?
Would I be courageous enough to keep living even as I am dying?
This is at the heart of valued living.
When we can face head on the fact that we have a limited time on earth
and then honestly look at and decide what we want our lives to be about
then we have the opportunity to truly LIVE.
This living isn’t one without heartbreak, without hardship, but it is one that if
we were at the end of our lives we could look back and say,
“I lived my life deeply aligned with what mattered to me.”
Identifying our values and what is most important to us gives a compass
to guide us through our decisions and can return us to ourselves when we
get a little lost. 🙂
This week I’m taking time to explore my values and I encourage you to
take a moment to do the same.
There is research that demonstrates that writing about your values (for as
little as ten minutes!) can significantly impact our ability to pursue our
goals and support our focus as we encounter challenges.
Below I’m including a few questions to get you reflecting and I hope you
find 10 minutes in your week to think about your why.
Here is to not waiting around for life to be perfect to decide to be happy!
❤ Jennifer
Values Reflection
Thinking about values can sometimes bring up a “preachy” or
judgemental aspect of ourselves. We can get caught up in “should”
values.
For this exercise, just observe if you start getting caught up in
thoughts about what others might think about this value or
wondering if it is a “worthy enough” one.
Just breathe, notice, and return to the questions, tuning into your
body and heart.
Choose one of these areas of life to think about.
relationships
work/education
personal growth/health
fun/leisure
Set a timer for 10 minutes and reflect on the following questions:
- What is important to me in this area?
- What do I want to do in this area that reflects what is
important? - When in my life have I cared deeply about this value?
- What have I witnessed in my life when others embody this
value, or not? - What might I do to live aligned with this value more in my life?
- When have I not followed this value and what happened as a
result?
After the timer goes off, take a few more minutes and read back
through your writing.
Look for these two things:
- What behaviors (actions) that align with this value could you
take based on what you wrote? (exercise, meet up with a
friend, sign up to volunteer, send an unexpected gift) - How are you going to do those actions? What qualities do you
want to embody as you take these aligned actions? (How will
you exercise? Lovingly, peacefully, joyfully, with presence?)
Adapted from an exercise in A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot Toward What Matters by
Steven C. Hayes.