Values Bring Peace
Our values fulfill the most authentic parts of ourselves, and when they do, they bring peace and joy. They help clarify decisions in our lives - when not tended to in big and small ways, they can steal our joy and peace.
So here’s the question: How can keeping perspective on what we genuinely value motivate us?
They help us identify areas where we sense the lack in our lives, which can result in the absence of peace — that gut feeling of being unfulfilled. Listening is a crucial component.
In his book, Holy Noticing, The Bible, Your Brain, and the Mindful Space Between Moments, Dr. Charles Stone teaches what he calls the Art of Holy Noticing:
He says - “Living a mindful life has a rich Christian tradition that stretches back over the last two thousand years. Although, at times, some who have practiced it have taken a few weird theological turns, its been used by believers to still and quiet their hearts, be more fully present to God in the moment, bring their thoughts back to Jesus, and cultivate a present-moment awareness of God’s Purpose, presence, and love. Fundamentally, it teaches us to mentally and physically pause. This pause helps us engage the present moment, experiencing what God has given us in that moment as we pay attention to our inner and outer world and to our responses to both. It helps us take notice of important concerns that we might otherwise unconsciously avoid: our body states, emotions, and attention itself. By doing so, we develop the ability to focus on what’s most important: God and people. It’s a God-given capacity that we can develop to help us pay attention, be aware, and fully engage. As a spiritual practice, it helps us notice things, with a holy purpose.”
One area of the pause Dr. Stone talks about is taking the time to identify what we value. This pause will help us engage in the present moment. This is a time to refocus and maybe, for the first time, truly define what we believe in and what is truly most important. See, it’s in the pause we may be still enough to notice and gain perspective on what matters - pay attention - be mindful - listen.
NAVIGATING VALUES
DISCOVERY QUESTIONS
When making your most important decisions, what underlying essentials do you base them on?
What are your passions — the things you care most deeply about?
How are you practically living those out today?
If not, what’s keeping you from it?
CREATE SPACE
Write down ways to pay closer attention to the things that matter but feel you are neglecting.
Where can you pause to create space to pay more attention to those areas?
Take note of the gaps and focus on the God-given capacity you have been given to help develop ways to move forward.
Want to know more about navigating your core values, check out my Values Coaching Course! I’d love to connect! Reach out for a complimentary visit @ kerry@lbdesigncoaching.com.