Let Gratitude Reveal Your Values

In my weekly newsletter, Parenting Prose, I demystify the life altering journey of motherhood. I say the quiet part out loud: this is the *hardest job in the world, and one that we are woefully unprepared for.

My hope is that by sharing a variety of my own experiences, I can help soften what often feels like an abrupt and wildly disorienting introduction to parenthood.

Let's be honest - the term "values" is a little confusing.

What is a value? How do I know what my values are if it's a question I haven't seriously considered before? Where does one begin when it comes to tackling the subject of values-based living?

My favorite definition of a "value" is this: A person's principles or standards of behavior; one's judgment of what is important in life.

Arriving at a concise list of 3 core values was a gradual process for me, spanning many years.

My hope for this newsletter is that by sharing my experiences with these topics, you'll be able to cultivate self-awareness much faster than I did ??

An unexpected vehicle that helped me identify my core values was a gratitude journal.

I decided to start an intentional gratitude practice a few years ago after listening to Brené Brown say on a podcast: "It’s not joy that makes us grateful, it’s gratitude that makes us joyful."

As someone who has always been inspired to live a more intentional and joyful life (and an avid Brené fan), I was instantly sold on the impact of a gratitude practice.

It's an incredibly simple ritual that anyone can start at anytime.

Every night before I go to bed, I write down 3 things I am grateful for.

Last night's entry looked like this:

5/14/2024

• Book Club with my Westmont mom community
• Gym workouts with B
• Repairing with Zoey & Ellie

I've been doing this for years now, and as I was sifting through old pages I noticed a pretty compelling pattern. Each entry typically incorporated the same 3 things:

• Connection (ex: Book Club with mom friends)
• Health (ex: workouts with my husband)
• Growth (ex: breaking generational cycles through repair)

If it sounds like I'm simplifying a complex process, I assure you I'm not. It's really this simple!

If you haven't spent a concerted effort on gratitude, it might not come easily at first. My first few entries were admittedly hard to conjure up.

But if you stick with it and get in the simple pattern of jotting down 3 things you're grateful for each night, the practice will grow on you.

And who knows - this exercise may even shine a light on your core values and the things that matter most to you.