What are Core Values and Why are Coaches Obsessed with Them?

So ... what’s the big deal with core values and why should we care?

If you spend any time talking with a life coach or reading a coaching blog, you may be apt to hear phrases like 'core values', 'alignment', and 'living authentically.' Today we are talking about core values, how they change over time, why it’s important to know what your values are, and why your core values are important to your overall happiness.?

Psst.. there's a link to a free workbook at the end!

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The Really Important Things

Core values are the big ideas and beliefs that guide how we live, work and play.?

Some examples include: Health, Love, Security, Independence, Spontaneity, Fun, Accomplishment, Financial Freedom, Creativity, Learning, but there's many more!

They are the ‘why’ behind what we most want pointing us towards the things that really matter in life. Core values are unique for each individual and result from our life experiences, upbringing, beliefs, personal circumstances and more.?

In short, core values are super important and represent how we want our life and our world to be.

And there’s no judgement with core values.? They simply represent what is most important to you.? Being honest with yourself when exploring your core values is crucial.

Yet oftentimes our core values aren’t necessarily front and center in our mind.? We don’t tend to think about them regularly.?

So, when faced with a situation that frustrates, angers, or scares us, we often don’t recognize that those feelings are likely the result of one or more of our core values being ignored or disregarded.?

We just know that we are unhappy, unfulfilled, or frustrated.

Being able to recognize, embrace, and communicate our most important core values, is the first step to a life full of purpose, satisfaction, and overall happiness.

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Core Values Continue to Change

Many people may not realize that our core values can change over time – which is totally normal.

The more life experience you have, the more likely you are to value things differently in your life.

What was once important to us in our 20’s – perhaps things like achievement, career and making money - might be less important to us once we are in our 30’s and 40’s or have a young family. ?

It's not to say that the values we held in our 20's are no longer important. They just may be slightly less important to us, in comparison to other values.

Or they may stay the same.

As we get older, it's not uncommon to place more value on spending time with family and work/life balance over achievement. ?But that's not always the case, and the opposite may be true.

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When Life Conflicts with Our Core Values

One thing about the coaching world, it’s got its own language.? Although “living in alignment,” might sound like an orthopedic medical side note, its meaning is grounded in core values.

Simply put, living in alignment means you are living your life in a way that is entirely consistent with the things that are most important to you.

So when you aren't in alignment, it means that your actions are inconsistent with your core values.

1. If you value creativity, but never make the time to incorporate it into your activities, you may be left feeling like something big is missing from your life, and thus losing out on some degree of happiness as a result.
2. If you hold a core value of spending time with your family, but you continue to work late into the evening hours and on the weekends (thus prioritizing work time over family time), this can lead to a conflict of core values and ultimately to frustration, burnout and unhappiness.
3. If you value financial security, you may struggle with quitting your job without a solid plan in place for expected finances ahead of time.

It’s also important to recognize that core values jockey for position; they do not all hold the same level of priority in our lives. ?

You may have values of family, productivity, creativity, and making money, but when push comes to shove, one of those values is going to float to the top as the most important thing and so on.

Core values tend to be hierarchal.

If it came down to your last day on earth, how would you choose to spend your time?

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When your life isn’t in alignment with your core values:

• You may have the feeling that something feels ‘off’ or ‘missing’ from your life.
• You might be more irritable or frustrated.
• Decisions might feel harder to make.
• You just might not be as happy as you once were.

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These are all signs that it may be time to take a step back and check in with your core values.? Awareness is the first step in making changes that can lead us towards a life filled with greater happiness and fulfillment.

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Core Values and Happiness

When your life lines up with your core values, everything feels more rewarding.

Living by your core values is like having your own personal life map to consult for decision making.? It can help you make choices that are bound to make you happier and more satisfied with life.

When you do things that match your values, you feel happy and true to yourself.

This is the same as living authentically (eek - more coach-speak!)

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When you live authentically, it means that you are living according to what’s truly most important to you.? It means that you value and prioritize the ‘big’ things in life, whatever those things happen to be for you.

This makes life feel simpler and more joyful.

In the end, following your heart and your core values will bring greater happiness to your life.

Core values are integral to living our ‘best life.’? From the job you choose, to how you spend your free time. If you are doing the things that matter most, you will derive more meaning, satisfaction, and happiness from your life.

Interested in a Freebie to Identify Your Own Core Values?

Sign up for my website mailing list and receive a link to download my 9-page pdf workbook Identify Your Core Values 5-Step Workbook.

Click here to download a freebie worksheet from my website, thehappyphysician.com.

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Hi - I'm Tracy and I help physicians (and non-physicians) who want more out of life to create the life they really want.

thehappyphysician.com

My goal is to help inspire a happier world one person at a time.

Want to learn more about working with me as your coach? Send me a message!