Have you ever felt like you're going through the motions but something just doesn’t feel quite right? Maybe your days are packed with tasks, responsibilities, and commitments, yet there’s a lingering sense of disconnect. If that sounds familiar, it might be time to take a closer look at your values—the core principles that drive your decisions, shape your identity, and influence your overall fulfillment.
Why Your Values Matter
Your values act as an internal compass, guiding you toward a life that feels authentic and meaningful. When your daily actions align with your values, life flows with a sense of purpose and direction. But when there’s a misalignment—when how you spend your time, energy, and resources doesn’t match what you truly care about—it can lead to frustration, burnout, and a nagging sense that something is off.
Think about it: If family is a core value, but work consistently takes priority over quality time with loved ones, an internal conflict begins to build. If growth is important to you, but your days are spent on autopilot without learning or challenging yourself, you might start feeling stagnant. The key to lasting fulfillment isn’t just knowing your values—it’s living them daily.
Are Your Daily Choices Reflecting Your Values?
Your time, energy, and resources are the most valuable things you have—how you use them says more about your values than what you say you believe. If your actions and commitments don’t align with what you truly care about, it may be time for a values check-in.
Consider these key areas:
Time: Your schedule is a direct reflection of your priorities. Does your daily routine include activities that support your values, or are you constantly stuck in tasks that don’t bring meaning?
Energy: Every day, you invest physical, mental, and emotional energy into people, work, and commitments. Are these things fueling you or draining you?
Resources: Resources go beyond money. Your skills, knowledge, creativity, and relationships are all assets. Are you using them in ways that align with your values, or are they being spent on things that don’t serve your greater purpose?
If you find that your daily choices don’t reflect your values, that’s not failure—it’s awareness. And awareness is the first step toward making intentional changes.
How a Values Sort Can Help
Most people have never taken the time to sit down and define their core values. That’s where a values sort comes in. A values sort is a simple yet powerful exercise that helps you clarify what truly matters by prioritizing values in order of importance. It moves you from vague ideas (“I want a good life”) to concrete principles (“These are the five values that guide my decisions”).
Choosing the Values That Matter Most
When working through a values sort, consider these guiding questions:
What drives your biggest life decisions? (Career, relationships, personal growth)
When have you felt the most fulfilled? What was happening? What values were being honored?
What makes you feel frustrated or out of alignment? Often, your strongest frustrations signal values that are being neglected.
If you had to design your ideal day, what would it include? What values are reflected in that vision?
By answering these questions, you’ll gain clarity on which values need to take priority in your daily life.
Get Started with This Simple Exercise
Understanding your values is the first step to making meaningful changes. If you’re ready to explore what truly matters and start living in alignment, try this values sort exercise: www.inspirehealthandperformance/value-sort.
This small step can lead to powerful shifts in how you approach your time, energy, and life decisions. Take a few minutes today—you might be surprised by what you discover.