The difference of opinion between the two leaders was so heated. While planning a new mission trip, both men couldn’t agree on who should be on the team. The group was forced to change plans during a previous trip because a young member was homesick and left early. But this time, the team leader didn’t want to risk taking someone who bailed out last time. The second leader was adamant and wanted to include this young team member.
A Listening Heart
Take the first step towards healing and growth. Book your free call now and let’s journey together in faith and friendship.
Can you relate? What values drive your decisions, work, and life?
This story describes a values conflict between Paul and Barnabas. You can read more about it in Acts 15:36-39. Paul valued the work of evangelism, faithfulness, and commitment and expected the same from team members. While Barnabas loved the encouragement and development of people. Because they could not resolve their differences, they agreed to part ways.
How do you determine what’s important to you?
What are values?
Values are beliefs that help us identify what’s important to us in life. They are principles that are central to your passions and decisions. They shape what you think is essential in your life and help you define what’s right and wrong, and how you relate with others.
Some examples of values include integrity, freedom, fun, creativity, friendship, commitment, family, caring, faith, hard work, respect, and legacy.
Why Are Values Important?
Often, we are not consciously aware of our values and how they shape our preferences and influence what we love and how we engage in life.
If you want to know yourself better, get in touch with your core values because they guide your passions, motivations, and choices.
Embracing your values and living in step with them is living from the inside out, and it helps you be at peace with yourself.
Living aligned with your values has a great influence on your perspective and can mean a difference between living like a victim and living empowered.
Do you feel frustrated in any area of your life?
Check-in with your values. Are you aligned?
You may feel sad, frustrated, anxious, and ashamed when you do things that go against your values. It is impossible to live a fulfilling life if we are not in alignment with our values.
But when you live life in a way that aligns with your values, you’ll feel great, authentic, fulfilled, and content!
Your values are like the habits of the heart and the silent forces behind your actions and decisions. They guide the direction of your life. By understanding your values, you can predict your actions and results.
What does it look like to embrace your values?
Embracing Your Values
Below I share three of my top values and what they look like in my life.
Time with God
I value my relationship with God and spend time alone with him first thing in the morning. I do this through prayer, worship, reading scripture, and meditation. I write my prayers and any insights I get in a notebook. I also spend time with God in nature during my early morning walks. Connecting with God is essential because it helps me worship him. Walking in nature allows me to marvel at God’s beautiful creation and fills my heart with peace, joy, and gratitude. I value God’s presence and guidance because they give meaning and purpose to my life.
Self-Reflection
Reflection helps me process my feelings, thoughts, and emotions. It also helps me put daily events in perspective as I ask myself these questions:
- What worked well?
- What didn’t work well, why, and what can l learn from it?
- What am I thankful for?
- Where is God at work in this situation?
Another benefit of self-reflection is that it increases my awareness and helps me to know myself better. It helps me learn from my mistakes and take steps to do better next time.
Evaluating what I am thankful for keeps my life joyful and balanced, so I am not only focusing on what didn’t work well. It also frees me to accept opportunities to learn and grow with gratitude.
Developing People
Paul focused on the work of evangelism and the outcomes, while Barnabas saw the calling on John Mark’s life and supported him (Acts 15:39). He even believed in Paul when he first started in ministry. He brought Paul to Antioch and stepped down from leading the first missionary journey so Paul could grow into his call (Acts 13:1-3). Barnabas had the value of developing people.
As I grow older, I am maturing in my faith. I have embraced the value of developing people. As a coach, I am passionate about encouraging and inspiring others to pursue their purpose (Proverbs 20:5). I help them discover what is keeping them stuck and get motivated to embrace their identity and regain confidence. Together, we take a journey to discover the treasures and opportunities in their life’s trials.
Friend, your values influence what you do, think, and feel about the world around you. Your core values are fundamental to your beliefs and are the guiding principles that direct your life.
Getting clear on your values can help you rediscover yourself and make informed changes in your life. It will also help you know what you may want to avoid in your life. And it will also empower you to choose activities, roles, and people that support and enhance your values.
L.O.V.E -It’s possible to Live Our Values Everyday.
What’s most important in your life, and what values underlie that?
Need help identifying your values so you can rediscover yourself? Book a FREE Discovery Call today to discuss how I can help you.
You may also be interested in Self-Care: Boundaries without Guilt
3 thoughts on “How to Embrace Your Values and Rediscover Yourself”
This is a very well written post! It makes me think about what my core values are. I’m with you on the early morning walk. I start before sunrise (very hot here!), and it allows me to talk to God, and clear my head out in nature. …and it helps keep my healthier! (Mentally and physically) ?
Lisa, thanks for your kind words. Summer is hot and humid here so the early morning walk gives me a head start. I love reading your lovely posts and pictures about nature.
Awwww, thank you so much! …fortunately, we don’t have much humidity here. whew! I am not used to humidity.