What we really want to create for ourselves

A commonality among unhappy people is, they don’t pursue their values with sufficient intensity.

They continuously fail to live up to their own ideals.

And without that foundation of true nature, it becomes very difficult to build a fulfilling life. Everything feels like an uphill battle.

Turns out, though, that when our ambitions are married to our highest values, that becomes the positive driving force that enables us to believe in ourselves, take initiative, overcome obstacles, bounce back quickly, and keep moving the story forward.

I’m reminded of an inspiring passage on values from my favorite recovery devotional:

In the chaos of addictive substance use, our ambition may have gone completely underground, lost in the haze of trying to find the next high, leaving us with little energy to invest in creating any future ideal. Perhaps it is time to rekindle this essential vital force. We might begin by holding the important questions of how we define success, asking ourselves what we really want to create for ourselves in this lifetime.

That’s powerful stuff.

Are you paying close attention to what your values are telling you about the next important steps in your life?

They are one of your greatest sources of internal leverage available. Here are several scenarios in which your values can play out.

Want to feel fully alive? Honor your values by writing them down and keeping them with you at all time.

Want to make yourself proud? Manifest your values through your behavior as often as you can.

Want to have freedom? Make choices based on your values, rather than fear and guilt.

Want to build mental toughness and take back your power? Find ways to practice your values rather than simply professing them.

Wish you could deal with pressure better? Ask yourself what someone with your values would do in this situation.

Want greater confidence in yourself and your decision making process? Note down every time you honor your values during the day.

Point is, like any path to happiness and fulfillment, values is a daily practice. It’s not the kind of reflective work you do at retreat one weekend and never think about again.

You bring yourself with you everywhere you go.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How are you pursuing the values that both survival and flourishing demands?