The Art of Creating a Better Life Through Values Alignment
Introduction
As an individual seeking a fulfilling life, whether it means a fit and healthy body and mind, a fulfilling career, financial stability, or simply joyful experiences, understanding your values is fundamental. Values, your desired life consequences, are the guiding principles that shape your actions and guide your decisions. This article delves into the process of identifying and aligning your values with your daily life to achieve a better life.
Identifying Your Values
Values are personal, subjective, and deeply rooted in what you believe in. They are not universal; each individual's values are unique and personalized. Some common values include joy, love, knowledge, power, community, gratitude, learning, curiosity, belonging, and health. Figuring out your values is an essential step towards creating a better life for yourself.
A useful resource to help you identify your values is the article from The New Happy. They provide a framework to explore and pinpoint your values effectively.
Why Are Values Important?
Mark Manson, in his book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, emphasizes the significance of values in our daily lives:
Values underlie everything we are and do. If what we value is unhelpful, if what we consider success/failure is poorly chosen, then everything based upon those values—the thoughts, emotions, the day-to-day feelings—will all be out of whack.
Understanding your values is crucial because they inform your thoughts, emotions, and actions. If your values are misaligned with your daily activities, you might feel out of sync and experience unnecessary suffering.
Choosing Your Suffering
Virat Kohli, the renowned cricket player, exemplifies how understanding and aligning your values can lead to consistent and fulfilling performance. He has chosen his suffering, embracing the rigorous practice and disciplined lifestyle required to excel in his sport. This aligns with his values of hard work, discipline, and consistent improvement.
When you align your actions with your values, you may still experience challenges and suffering. However, these challenges are no longer seen as obstacles to be avoided but as experiences that contribute to your growth and fulfillment.
Creating a Better Life Through Values-Driven Actions
There are many practices that can improve your daily life, such as waking up early, exercising, eating well, sleeping well, meditating, and journaling. However, these practices alone may not be enough to create the life you desire if they are not aligned with your values.
Companies like Google understand the importance of values and align their daily actions accordingly. For instance, their core values include innovation, simplicity, efficiency, and transparency. By consistently living by these values, Google not only enhances the quality of its products but also creates a positive work culture.
Conclusion
Creating a better life is not about following a set of prescribed actions but about understanding and aligning your values with your daily actions. Once you have identified your values, you can choose your suffering, making it a part of your growth and fulfillment. This approach ensures that your daily life is indeed better, more fulfilling, and aligned with your deepest desires.
Keywords: values, daily life, better living