The Blueprint to a Meaningful Life — Our Family's 3 Core Values

In the pursuit of a life well-lived, it is essential to have a set of guiding principles that serve as a compass, helping us navigate the complexities of existence.

These core values serve as a foundation upon which we can build a meaningful and fulfilling life. They provide clarity in moments of uncertainty and serve as a benchmark against which we can measure our actions and decisions.

Our family has three core values that provide a lens for evaluating our past actions and guiding our future decisions.

• Communication
• Essentialism
• Personal Growth

These core values have been with us for years now and they still hold an essential truth. My perspective on each has shifted and grown as I have shifted and grown in life.

Each day is an opportunity to review my existence. How have I lived up to these core principles? What do they mean for me in this present moment? How do they shape my plans for the future?

It's through a constant and focused effort that I can continue to improve — for myself, my family, my community, and all those I have the opportunity to impact.

Communication

Clear and open communication with my partner, my son, and myself is at the core of most of my (self-reported) success. Understanding my own self, my needs, and my shortcomings.

Discussing (beyond the surface level) our life and purpose with my partner. Hearing her challenges, joys, and frustrations. Celebrating her successes, and empathizing with her fears.

Sharing my perspective of the world with my son. Listening to his experiences, and helping him understand the value he offers to the world and to those around him.

Communication is our first step in determining whether we are on the right path and how we can support ourselves as we move into the ultimate unknown.

Essentialism

Clearing our lives of accumulation — whether it be clutter, material desires, commitments we don't believe in, or stories that do not serve us.

Taking stock of life to determine what is truly essential in all aspects.

In clearing the clutter, we make space for new joys (or those yearning for more room) to take root and flourish.

It is a constant practice. A constant effort to review and refine.

Only through this continued process can we create enough space on the canvas to paint our compelling vision of the future.

Personal Growth

With clear communication to ourselves and those around us, an understanding of our current state, and space to build something new, the real work can begin.

We can take the steps to ultimately actualize these new insights.

This is an active process and a daily, hourly, second-by-second practice.

Growth compounds to reach incredible heights. Stay the course and drive toward our compelling future regardless of what others around us may think.

The judgment of the masses has no bearing on our own family's journey toward self-actualization. It's a personal process that can only be seen as the results become clear over time.

Our growth can inspire those around us, but it is ultimately ours and ours alone.

Conclusion

Embracing these core values—communication, essentialism, and personal growth—has been a transformative experience. They have provided a framework for living a life of purpose, helping to align our actions with our deepest desires and aspirations.

By consistently reviewing and refining our commitment to these principles, we create the space for continuous improvement and the realization of our full potential.

As our family moves forward, we can hold fast to these core values, allowing them to guide us through the inevitable challenges and opportunities that life presents.

In doing so, we not only enrich our own lives but also contribute to the well-being of those around us. In doing so, we hope to leave a positive and lasting impact on the world.

What are your family's core values?

How have these values shaped your worldview and influenced your interactions with others?