My Top Five Core Values
How often do you outline, and refer back to, your values?
Last year I was bothered by the fact that my answer was: “well… I’m not sure what my values are.” I was listening to The Minimalists Podcast and they inspired me to use their Values Worksheet to reflect on my own values and narrow down a list of five from there (with some sub-values underneath each core point on the list).
Here’s what I came up with! I refer back to this list every now and again to check that I’m living in accordance with them. I think it’s such a good way to encourage authenticity and consistency for ourselves. My list is highly personal and I took into account my own unique Myers-Briggs personality (ENFP) and Enneagram number (7w8 sx).
These values are listed in order of personal importance to me — hopefully it gets your own brain juices flowing to make your own list! If you do, I’d love to hear about them: feel free to comment or reach out!
Love -- the need for communication, connection, quality time, & intimacy.
Faith. Am I loving God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength?
Selflessness. Am I loving my neighbor as myself?
Connection. Am I bonding personally with my friends and family?
Variety -- the need for surprise, challenge, excitement, & adventure.
Adventure. Am I actively trying new things and checking off my bucket list?
Curiosity. Am I traveling to new places and experiencing new cultures?
Challenge. Am I courageously experimenting?
Growth -- the need to expand capacity, capability, or understanding.
Persistence. Am I building new habits that lead to continual improvement?
Knowledge. Am I taking in new information and challenging my belief system?
Adaptability. Am I using old strategies to solve new problems or am I adapting to the change?
Self-Expression -- the communication of my inner self to the outer world.
Creativity. Am I engaging in artistic mediums like writing, art, and music?
Authenticity. Am I staying true to my personality in every situation?
Celebration -- the process of observing and commemorating noteworthy milestones.
Significance. Am I being recognized for my professional accomplishments and recognizing others?
Joy. Am I choosing happiness and focusing on what truly matters?
Gratitude. Am I reflecting on the past and nodding to the blessings of the present?
