25/11/2025
A mindful exercise I find much benefit in is to sit down and reflect on my values - what they are and how my life is currently aligned, or not, with them. I believe that my life should be steered in the directions that augment my joy, my love, and my being a better version of myself. And so I engage in this task yearly, bi-yearly at times, when my growth develops with eye-opening momentum.
The task is simple. I list 8 qualities which are important for me, what I am calling values. These are not religious values like we learnt in chatecism, although some might, indeed, overlap. These are the most important aspects of my life, be they activities, principles, people, or even places.
Some things which have made it on my list with regularity are my Tribe - my family and friends - the Environment, my Growth and Development, and Spirituality.
Each broad category is generally more finely nuanced... for instance, what I was working on last year in relation to my growth and development is not what I am currently prioritising. People change. I've changed, and, therefore, that's why I sit down and reflect on my values with some regularity, so I can keep abreast of how my inner energies are guiding me and what my inner truth requires honoring.
Once my list has taken shape, I also reflect on how my life currently aligns with my values. What changes can I implement in order to live a life which more truly honours my priorities? How can I tweak? What must be reduced in order to allow space for what is to grow?
With the end of the year around the corner, I find that this is an excellent exercise to incorporate into my end of year reflections and aspirations for a new year.
