Hi community! I am writing to you after taking a week off for a vacation “up north”. That’s what we do in Minnesota. We head up to a place of tall white pines and pristine cool lakes. It was a much needed break from my patterns and city routines. I’m back at it with a renewed commitment to creating and sharing.

A quick reminder about this Summer 2021 RESET process we are following. If you remember, it has three steps to it:

1. Silencing the Noise
2. Declaring What’s Most Important
3. Taking Inspired, Messy, Imperfect Action

Let’s start digging in to the second step, Declaring What’s Most Important! Today I’d like to share with you a RESET practice that is a classic coaching tool. And even though it may be an exercise you have completed before in some form, I think it’s one that is worth revisiting! Giving voice to your core values can provide so many insights on why you may feel off, crabby, low energy, discontent. When I share this simple exercise with clients, it provides so many ahas about what is TRULY important to them. So don’t overlook this one! Take a few minutes to give voice to your core values, you won’t be disappointed. This is especially important after the pandemic turmoil we have all been through. The pandemic may have turned a few things upside down, and caused us to question what is truly important to us. Don’t miss this opportunity to make sense of what you’ve been through, reflect, and voice what is most important to you.

So what are core values? I like to think of our core values as those things that we hold most dearly, really close to our heart, that which is most important to us. When we live in alignment with our core values, we feel feelings like joy and satisfaction, fulfillment, and even a sense of peace and contentment. When we dishonor our core values, and act in ways that squash our core values, we can feel discontent, tired, unhappy, like something is off or wrong and we can’t quite put our finger on what is going on.

This exercise helps to NAME your core values, to voice them. It’s an act of declaring what is most important to you. These core values may be taken for granted if you don’t name them and honor them on a consistent basis. It can be such a feeling of relief to get these on paper, and begin to construct a life that celebrates your values more frequently.

Let’s dive in to a simple exercise of Giving Voice to Your Core Values, here it is:

1. Get Centered. I highly recommend doing a heart centered meditation before doing this exercise as a way to listen to what’s most important to your heart, not just what you think you “should” identify as your core values. On this week’s worksheet, there is a heart centered meditation you have seen before as a way to get centered and present. Here’s the worksheet (it’s in a really light color, but please do click, it’s there!): https://jilldianesaunders.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Reset-Practice-4-Giving-Voice-to-Your-Values.pdf
2. Voice Your Top 5 Core Values. On this week’s worksheet, I’ve listed over 50+ core values that may help to explain and give voice to what is most important to you. It’s a great list! By reviewing this list and narrowing in on your Top 5, you begin to make tangible what is most important to you. Read it through, mark it up, then in the space provided on the worksheet, name and give voice to your Top 5 core values.
3. Assess Your Alignment. This step is really important. Now that you have named your Top 5 core values, check in and see if you are living in alignment with these values, or if you are dishonoring and squashing what is most important to you. For one week, for each core value you have identified, make note of whether you are living in alignment with this core value – bringing it to life or if you are dishonoring and squashing this core value. Use the worksheets provided to track your insights. Record as much or as little as you like.
4. Take Action on a Way Forward. After a week of reflecting on how your core values are being lived out by you, check in and ask yourself, “What is a better way forward that supports each of my core values?” Begin to brainstorm and get creative about practices and actions that bring your core values to life!

I like to think of exercises like this as a way to gain insight and raise our awareness. When something is off or wrong, it can be very subtle and unclear about what is causing the discontent. A simple core values exercise can bring so much insight and clarity on a better way forward, it can lift our energy. None of us want to live a life where we are dishonoring what is most important to us, sometimes we need to just pause and listen to and declare that which brings us joy and fulfillment.

Here’s this week’s worksheet (the link is really light color, do click, it’s there!): https://jilldianesaunders.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Reset-Practice-4-Giving-Voice-to-Your-Values.pdf

Wishing you a week of insight!

Jill