H
ow often have you spent
the day feeling over-
whelmed, aimlessly
running hoping to check a few
boxes off your “to do” list? Are
you aware of the things you see,
the people you meet, or even
your own thoughts and feelings?
Or have you become comfortably
numb simply going through the
motions of and errands of daily
life? Would you prefer to remem-
ber what brings you joy and to
feel passionate and confident in
every action you take? If you are
aware of your values, make con-
scious choices, and live mindfully
in the present moment you live
authentically, you feel empow-
ered, and you will be successful,
healthy, and confident.
Core values are deeply held
beliefs that govern your actions
and behavior. Your sense of self,
your identity, and how you view
and respond to the world are
all dictated by your core values.
When you are not aware of them
you may be reacting to people,
places, and events based off of
subconscious beliefs and values
causing unnecessary trouble and
drama. When you align your
core values with what you think,
speak, and do you live a life filled
with purpose and passion.
You need to become aware of
your own unique values and be
mindful of them in your daily
life. There are numerous ways to
begin to explore your core values.
I suggest researching the internet
and finding a large list of de-
scriptive words. Go through the
list several times over a week and
then narrow the list down to only
five core values. I cheated and
had to keep six. I don’t follow
rules to easily… BUT try… Those
five will be words that describe
you. Not who you would like to
be or who you plan to be, simply
who you are right now. The five
core values you choose will be
what you love, represent, and
honor. They will be deal break-
ers for you in relationships of
all kinds. The values you choose
reveal the truth of who you are,
what you need, and the choices
and behaviors you need to em-
brace to live the life you desire.
Once you are aware of your
values it is time to practice being
mindful of other things. Mind-
fulness is simply being aware
of your thoughts, emotions, or
sensations in the present mo-
ment without passing judgment
on them. Mindfulness cultivates
compassion for yourself and
others. When you are mindful
you have an understanding of
yourself, those around you, and
what your choices are. You make
decisions that are in line with
your core values; you honor and
respect yourself and others, and
you create an environment that
supports peace and happiness.
Over thirty years of research
has proven that mindfulness
actually changes the structure
of your brain. The Amygdala
which is responsible for flight or
fight response actually shrinks.
The Pre-frontal Cortex, which
is responsible for all higher-level
thinking, has an increase in gray
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