Why Knowing Your Key Values Is So Important … Especially Now!
By Troy Rampy, Editor, The Wellness Blog™
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” — Mohandas K. Gandhi
As my 17-year-old son is enjoying the last two weeks of his summer vacation
before school starts again, I wonder at his unabashed enjoyment of life.
Doesn’t he know we’re in a recession? Doesn’t this academically astute young
man care that health care reform is being hotly debated this summer? Doesn’t
he know that his father is concerned about getting his blog entry written?
The answer that Adrian would probably provide in one of his signature
phrases is, “not really”. Adrian and his five friends who last night feasted on
take-and-bake pizza, played ping pong until the wee hours, watched two DVDs,
and are currently still sleeping throughout the house at 9:00 AM are in
touch with at least some of their key values. They’re not worrying about
things beyond their control or immediate concern. And, as teenagers, they’re
much the better for it.
Of course, they’re lucky to live in Northern California, within the
protective bubble of adolescence. They are not yet focused on things
like earning a living, raising children, keeping the front lawn green, or
taking care of aging parents. All they currently know is that summer,
friends, going to the river, pizza, and summer enjoyment are central to their sense of well-being. In time, that will undoubtedly change. But for now, this is all
they need to know.
Even though there are a few tentative signs that the current economic
downturn may be easing, many adults are not so lucky. Many are still dealing
with a loss of income, job loss and even the loss of their home. We all know
it’s a challenging time. A pervasive sense of scarcity and fear still
lingers in the summer air.
In times like these it’s especially important that you re-identify your key
values and stay true to honoring them. They will help to sustain you and
keep you focused on where you want to go, rather than unnecessarily placing
your focus on fear. As an additional benefit, when you identify and
prioritize your key values you’ll know how to prioritize your time and
energy. Why? Because focusing on your key values will assist you in
eliminating distractions. It will help simplify your life, reduce stress,
and increase your levels of satisfaction and fulfillment!
Here’s an easy, and fun way to identify and prioritize your values. On a
sheet of paper, write down your main lifestyle areas. These might include:
Career; Finances; Health/Well-Being; Friends; Spouse/Significant Other;
Family/Children; Aging Parents; Fun/Recreation/Hobbies/Travel;
Learning/Personal Growth; Creativity; Spirituality; Community;
Happiness/Fulfillment; Peace of Mind; and others. You can write them down
one side of the page, or draw a circle and divide it into “pie slices” with
each category as one slice of the pie.
Now imagine that you have exactly $1000 to allocate among all your lifestyle
areas. Write down an amount next to each area. Spend the most for your most
highly valued area, the second-most for your next-most valued area, and so
forth until you have used up your entire $1000. No more; no less. Then
rewrite your prioritized values on a 3 x 5 card or another sheet of paper and use it
to prioritize your time and energy — daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, lifetime.
Review your list periodically to make sure it’s still current.
As you progress through the days and weeks ahead, refer back to this list.
When the economy or your prospects and personal finances seem challenging,
look back at your key values and focus on them. Even if some of your values
are centered on income, career, savings, college tuition, etc., be sure to
keep these goals in balance with others like self nurturing, your spiritual
practice, your friends and social life, play, pleasure and laughter, and so
forth. Know that you are doing the best you currently can with your
financial goals, and that this challenging time will pass.
As the song goes, don’t worry, be happy. You can always invite over a few
friends and pop in the oven your whole wheat, vegetarian pizza.
