Do you want to live a life of integrity in which your actions align with your personal list of values and beliefs? Great, you’re in the right place to begin living true.
Many of us struggle with finding direction, making big decisions, and even knowing how to act in day-to-day situations. When you take the time to consider your core values, these things become crystal clear.
Core values point the needle of your compass, illuminating the pathway toward living a meaningful life — one that’s filled with passion and purpose.
Instead of allowing outside influences like media, pop culture, or social environment to shape your life, you can be true to yourself.
In this article, I will help you uncover your true identity by clarifying your values.
By the end, you’ll have discovered a unique list of values and beliefs to help orient your life. And even better, you’ll have a clear idea of what actions you can take to experience life in true alignment.
Do you want to overcome self-doubt and take action in your life? Try our mini-course Believing in Yourself! Learn four proven tactics to embrace your true self and live strong.
Originally published on January 29th, 2020, this post was updated and republished on February 23rd, 2024.
Take some time to explore this list of values and beliefs, and consider which ones resonate with you:
Now that you’ve got plenty of ideas, you can begin to narrow it down to a few that could become the basis of your core value system.
Here are some questions to help you see where these values show up in your life:
“A lot of the conflict you have in your life exists simply because you’re not living in alignment; you’re not being true to yourself.” ― Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You
Every house needs a sturdy foundation. You can build a beautiful home, but it will sink into the ground without a solid base.
The same is true with your values. Just like the foundation of a home, core values provide the groundwork for your actions, decisions, and behaviors.
Without a base, your “home” falls apart, and you lose a sense of purpose and direction. You may appear to be successful, but still, feel lost. Until you define what success means to you, you’ll be chasing empty accomplishments.
If you don’t understand your values, you may violate them without realizing it. This can lead to feelings of guilt and shame, without knowing why.
Researchers confirm that when people have a clear set of core values:
Let’s begin by looking inward to discover what matters to you. It’s a process, and you might need support as you dig deep to find out what makes you tick.
The list of values and beliefs you are about to dive into is adapted from Be True: Discover Your Core Value System. It’s a course in which I walk you through proven exercises to find your truth and begin living it.
When you’re ready to start discovering how to figure out who you are, check out the course. In the meantime, here are some simple ideas to get you started.
When it comes to core values, there’s no “one size fits all” approach. Everyone is different.
That’s why I don’t recommend jumping ahead to the list and choosing words that sound good. Instead, I invite you to pick up a pen and paper and spend some time on personal reflection — writing about what moves you.
Below are some questions to help you start this exploration. The answers you write down are clues you can use to identify your core value system.
To better understand what you value, it can help to turn to real-life examples of people who exhibit admirable qualities.
Think of some positive role models who inspire you to live a meaningful life. This could include people you know personally, famous figures, characters in a book, etc.
As you think about these people, write down:
Often our core values reveal themselves through our actions. Can you think of a situation when you took a stand for someone or something?
Try writing down some of the reasons you felt so strongly about taking action. For example:
When you’re in situations that allow you to be authentic, that’s a clue that you are in alignment with your values. And when you have to betray yourself to fit in or find success, you feel ashamed and alone.
In situations that feel wrong in some way, what’s going on? Write down:
In situations where you feel real and authentic, what’s going on? Write down:
When what you value the most is congruent with what you do, you are standing in your integrity.
Let’s bridge the gap between what you value and how to put that into action with some concrete examples:
If you choose freedom, you value “the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.”
Here are some examples of actions you could take to align more fully with freedom as a core value and belief in your life:
If you identified wellness as a core value, the active pursuit of health would become a priority in your life.
Here are some day-to-day examples of how your short-term actions would line up with this personal value example:
Can you see how your short-term actions can put you more in line with your long-term core values? You can also use your core value system to assess opportunities and make decisions as they arise.
If compassion speaks to you as a core value, then you want to ameliorate the suffering or help heal the pain of others.
Here are some of the things you could do to ensure that your actions line up with compassion as a core value:
If you expressed creativity as something important to you, then you value being able to express yourself freely and deeply.
To incorporate creativity into your day-to-day life, you could:
If you identify courage as being something true to who you are, you find it compelling to stand up in the face of adversity, do what’s right, and take on tasks that are difficult, dangerous, or uncertain.
You can manifest courage in your daily life through the following actions:
By intentionally living in line with your values, you will feel an increase in happiness, peace of mind, creativity, and flow.
As with anything in life, identifying core values goes beyond checking boxes on a list. Being true to your core values involves a lifelong journey of discovery, experimentation, trial, and error.
I suggest revisiting your core values from time to time. You can use this core values quiz to assess the degree to which you are following your inner compass. If it feels like you have drifted off course, or you’re completely lost, I’d like to help you get back on track.
You’ve just uncovered a formula for discovering your truth, and you don’t have to do it alone! Isn’t it about time to start living according to your core values?
