Using your values as your North Star 🌟

Do you know what your values are?

In the last 4+ years, I’ve made a conscious effort to outline and display my values alongside the vision I hold for my life. Since doing this, I’ve noticed (especially in the last couple of months) how anchoring they are for me. Like my North Star. Keeping me on the right track and in alignment with who I desire to be and the life I desire to lead. 

It was in conversation with another mum at our homeschool group today that prompted me to write this post. We were talking about how we’re supposed to know what to do to get to that ideal outcome where your children are thriving and respectable adults, when we’ve chosen to talk the path less travelled. The one with no map. I shared with her that, for me, it comes back to values. When we know what our values are, and what we desire for our children, we are more able to make informed decisions with an end goal in mind. 

I’ve recently been evaluating my work situation (I tutor privately, part time, from home) and whether or not the way I’m currently working is serving me and the family dynamic. When I spent some time reading over my values and vision for life, I quickly realised that this year I have made so many decisions based on supporting (or pleasing) other people, and chasing goals that aren’t keeping me in alignment with the life I desire to lead. Realising this has made it so much easier for me to reconnect to what’s important to me and come up with ideas for my work next year that will feel more supportive.

I’ve done values and visioning many ways over the years, from looking over a list and selecting the ones that resonate most, to a process of elimination to get a certain number. A few months ago I worked through the process in a different way - I started with visioning first. 

I’ve been writing a yearly vision for a fair few years now, and most of the time they focused on external / materialistic goals. Things that I was working towards and wanting to achieve. This time, I wrote a complete vision based on the person I’d like to be and the way I’d like life to feel. It has felt so grounding in this busy season of life, to have a reminder to exhale and focus on the bigger picture. That there is more to life in what we’re working towards or want to have. I started with some questions to journal on and then crafted a vision based on those journal responses. From there, I went through and pulled out the key themes/desires that came up and grouped those to create my values list. 

My vision, my values, and a range of connected affirmations are on my wall above my desk for me to check in with regularly. And my favourite part? The simple question I have added under each value that allows me to check in when it comes time to make a decision. I’ll add the image below to highlight what I mean. 

These have changed slightly over the years, and will continue to change as we move through the different seasons of life I’m sure. But I find them so supportive in returning to ME. In a world that is so noisy, with so many possibilities, it is so easy to be swayed from what is true for you. 

I’d love to know if you have a vision or values that you refer to regularly, or if this has inspired you to give it a go. I’m more than happy to pop my guiding questions and process together in another post if it will be helpful for others. Let me know. 

Sending love,

J xx