I spent this morning in the woods at Withrow Nature Preserve. Nothing clears my head more than spending time immersed in the sounds and stillness of nature. I found myself remembering how grounding nature can be when things get busy in life and work. I know that when I am denying myself that simple pleasure, I have gotten out of touch with myself and my core values.
My Mom knew where I was headed this morning and she had this to say:
“Mrs. Withrow was a remarkable woman, when we moved to Cincinnati she was the first person knocking on our door to welcome us since we had a shared friend in Kentucky. We went to dinner at the house on her property (that still stands there today). She was knowledgeable about wildflowers (they are still everywhere) and plants. She was quite a gardener, which is the ultimate compliment from my mom.
Walking along I was really overwhelmed at the gift that this remarkable Withrow Family had bestowed on our community.
Have you thought about the legacy you are leaving? To your family? Your community? Your business world?
I see this with coaching clients.
They want to do work that matters and leave a legacy.
If you find yourself ready to do work that matters or find more depth in the work you are doing here is an exercise to begin bringing you more in touch with what you value and how you can create it in your work and legacy. I have seen that people who live by their values really enjoy a more fulfilling work and business life, and the legacy they want to create naturally falls into place. This exercise should really be done with a coach, but this is a great way to begin.
1. Begin with the simple steps of finding your unique Core Values.
I don’t really recommend using a “list” of values, your mind will begin to do the “this is right, and this is wrong” kind of thinking. Instead look at what has been revealed to you and what you have discovered about your own unique ways. If you still need a list, there are plenty on the internet.
2. To help you reveal your core values, look at times in your life that were the most memorable. What were you feeling and thinking? What value was being recognized and honored? Then do the opposite. What was a sad or unhappy time, what value was NOT being honored? What MUST you have in your life to feel complete? If you don’t have it do you feel like a part of you is dying on the vine? PSSST….mine is FREEDOM.
3. Take a look at what you come up with and see if there is an underlying theme with the ones that you chose.
4. Hone them down to 3 core values. Yes 3:) Any more than that and the brain gets confused.
Finding core values is a fantastic way to begin to hone in on an intentional life that has meaning and is set up for leaving a legacy of your life and passions. It is one of the most important parts of your life’s work, it comes from living and being self-reflective and on purpose.
Living from what truly matters in your heart leads the way to leaving a legacy and a values driven body of work!
Want some help diving in?
