The Art of Choices: Aligning Actions With Inner Values

Making choices definitely is not a science - it's an Art. If I asked you what your top 5 Inner Values are, would you be able to state them? (If so, put them in the comments). Sometimes, when we make a choice, we 'think' it aligns with our values, and it may - in the short term. What about the Long-Term Effects?

The choices we make, big or small, shape the tapestry of our lives. For example, while the immediate effects of grabbing fast food, skipping the gym, or breathing in Asbestos might seem insignificant, these seemingly inconsequential decisions can have a profound impact on our future selves.

The key to a fulfilling and healthy life lies in aligning our actions with our inner values - and understanding both the short-term and long-term effects.

The Ripple Effect of Choices:

Consider the everyday decisions we make:

• Physical Health: Fast food might offer a quick fix, but long-term consumption can lead to health problems, impacting our energy levels, well-being, and even healthcare costs. Similarly, choosing household & personal care products might seem convenient (and cheap), but it can compromise our respiratory health, increase our risk of cancer, and compromise our environmental sustainability, all of which affect our overall long-term well-being.
• Financial Wellness: Choosing that multi-payment plan option for many things seems easy 'now' and gives us immediate gratification; however, when it comes time to make those payments, many people find they haven't ADDED any income to their budget. Given that, that additional bill means they end up not paying something (or paying only a minimum amount) of something else to afford that 'multi-plan' thing. These add up, and all of a sudden, they feel like they will never be able to pay those credit cards off.
• Time Freedom: Having an 8-5 job seems like a great idea until you have more things to do than time to do them in. Or, you love your job, AND you aren't making enough to pay for all the 'must haves' as well as 'want to haves' and especially not the 'emergency got to haves'. And for some, when they take on that. So you take on another job (trading time for money) to pay for things, and then you have even less time, so the stress, anger, and anxiety happen.

Beyond the Obvious: 3 Long-Term Considerations:

Here are three often-overlooked choices that significantly impact our future health, wealth & time freedom:

• Invest in Learning (the health of your future depends on it): How do you know what has changed or what's new regarding your options? ?? If your only sources of information are what you see on the shelf and what you learn on TV and radio Commercials, you may be missing out on A LOT. ?? The world, companies & products are constantly evolving. Sometimes for the good - and many times NOT. ?? Investing time and resources to stay updated keeps us informed and allows us to have the wisdom to rethink our options (and the effects of our current decisions).
• Re-Evaluate Your Financial Situation: Your financial situation isn't just what's in your bank account:?? What's the difference between what comes in and what goes out each month, paying the minimum??? If you keep paying the minimum, how much will you rack up in interest charges each month - and how long will it take you to pay it off? ?? If you cannot work (no matter what the reason), do you have 100% of all your needs (and some wants) for 1 year in the bank? If your answer to these is not what you want it to be, what will change in the next 6-12 months to reduce or alleviate this?
• Assess How You Use Your Time: Every one of us has 1440 minutes in a day, yet some people are always stressed, always busy, and feel they never accomplish anything except 'getting through the day'. ? Listen to your inner voice (and your outer voice). Do you hear yourself always saying, "There just are not enough hours in the day" or "I'm just so busy I couldn't put another thing on my plate"? Then you KNOW that what you are doing ISN'T WORKING! Something has to change - and unless you want to keep saying that for the rest of your life, it's time to figure out what needs to change.? Ask yourself if what you are doing is the best use of your time to meet your goals. Or, are doing what is 'easy' because what would really get you the life you want feels 'hard' or 'scary' ?? We all just don't know what we don't know. So, if what you are doing isn't giving you what you need financially from a time freedom perspective, nothing will change until you truly make the decision that you are open to evaluating options. If you think you have, what's holding you back from doing that?

Living with Intentionality:

Making conscious choices aligned with our values is the art of living with intentionality. It's not about perfection; it's about making conscious strides in the right direction by knowing the rewards & risks of our decisions.

By taking a step back and considering the long-term impact of our choices, we can build a future that is not only sustainable but also fulfilling and aligned with who we truly want to be.

Take a moment to reflect on your own values and how your daily choices align with them.

• What small, positive changes can you implement today to build a future you can be proud of?
• What choices did you make previously that are worth re-evaluating to see if better, more effective options are available that align with your values?
• What assumptions have you made when making decisions before? How do you know they are valid? How can you determine if they are (or are not?)

Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!

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