Happy Monday! This is the first Monday of my 46th year. I celebrated my birthday on Friday with a perfect day filled with good food, my favorite people in my favorite place: home.
It never used to be that way; I hated being home. If there was a party, I was there. Needed somebody to work that second bartending shift? I was your girl. Sometimes I would just drive around so I didn't have to be home alone. Even after I had the kids, being stuck at home made me climb the walls.
I realize now it was because I wasn't happy or healthy inside my own mind and body then. I was dealing with so much anxiety, guilt and shame it didn't matter where I was, I was uncomfortable. (It didn't help that I was medicating with alcohol which just poured gasoline on all those feelings, but that's a story for another day.)
Hindsight is always 20/20 and we learn all the lessons when we can look back objectively. I have learned so much over the past few years but by far the most important one was discovering my values. Not super sexy I know, but I realize that having a few words to guide myself through decisions, both personally and professionally, has changed the game for me. I realized I didn't know what I valued at all before I found this tool (through the Mind Rebel Academy where I got my coaching certification). I didn't realize that because I was misaligned with my (unknown) values, my body and mind were reacting in ways I couldn't understand or fix. Anything I tried failed.
Super annoying.
If you've been a client, you know I talk about how important it is to find your values before you do ANYTHING. I don't care if you're starting a business, trying to get healthy, digging yourself out of debt, being a “better” parent, or leveling up. If you don't know your values, or know them but living misaligned, it will be harder than it needs to be.
Here's the trick though, you have to start living by those values UNAPOLOGETICALLY. We are who we are. If FAME is one of your values, then you own that shit. If AMBITION is a guiding principle, you get as strong as you can and climb baby. You do you.
The world needs you, exactly the way you are. I promise there is someone out there looking for EXACTLY what you have to offer, the way you have to offer it.
You know why I love Mondays? Because I have designed my life based on my values and I don't apologize for it.
Does it make sense to everyone? No.
Do some people probably get their undies in a bundle because I do things on my own terms and sometimes disappoint them? Sure.
But I'm living in alignment with my values and those values aren't hurting anyone else; quite the opposite.
I encourage you to explore your own values. I've provided the tool I used and then of course put a little kr. flare on it. Download it. Take some time for yourself to really work on it. Then report back to me on how you feel. Happy Value Hunting!
