There’s been a lot of chatter about human rights and bias and privilege and appropriation and cause – all these are heavy, serious subjects that some study for years and still do not have all the right answers nor the ability to communicate across debates and differing opinions. I don’t either. I’m not one to loosely speak without thinking (those that know me well, know this) and in fact, I’ve been continually thinking, reading and journaling on these things which just now happen to be the current state of affairs for a long time. The TLDR is this: it’s within my values as a human being to constantly be “doing the work” to understand, empathize with and advocate (when needed) for others.
It hurts my heart that people’s values are being questioned at this time (and have been for years, social media just makes this SUPER apparent and while seemingly bringing people together, tears others apart).
I heard someone talk about values recently and how having a strong set of values when moving to a new city helped her to stay true to herself. It made me think what are those that prevail through my everyday life that dictate how I live and react in certain situations. Can I put these beliefs into words?
If you’ve been following me even for a short time, I hope my values come through loud and clear and you understand who and why I am the way I am. But in case you forgot…
Health (mental and physical) is a priority for me. I’ve worked many life decisions around the journey of living healthfully and know that health is not a singular destination where one ends up, health is a process and day to day feeling.
While I don’t subscribe to a specific set of religious tenets, I do believe in faith and spirituality. I believe in a higher power and universal energy. In short, I’m spiritual but not religious. I wrote a blog about it – link if you’re interested.
I believe in kindness above all and that respect is something you give to all no matter where they come from. This applies to the self too – kindness and respect.
Family is important. Although my relationships with family members (immediate and extended) go from “can’t live without them” to “severely strained and distant” (I will not lie. I do not have the perfect “hallmark family” – who does?), I still find love for the family that I can salvage and the family that I hope to create.
I believe in honesty and truth being the best policy. Trust needs to be earned and the best way to earn trust is through truth seeking and truth sharing.
Finally, just for now, because I could go on for weeks – open-mindedness. I’m always listening, I’m always learning. I wake up in the morning thinking “how can I be better?” I am a lifelong learner. You want to share your story? I want to learn from it.
Looking for more resources on mindfulness and self-care? Become a PURE Insider to get monthly updates!