SYL - week 2

Values

This one has really got me thinking. I haven't read anyone else's blog this week because I wanted this to be all about me. I didn't want ideas from others or an idea of how to write my values. They are inside me somewhere and I can find them. The printable did come in handy and gave me an idea of the kind of words I was after, it was easier than I thought it would be after that.

I'm going to start with my list
Honesty
Loyalty
Courage
Playfulness
Family
Self reliance
Positivity
Balance
Resilience
Creativity
Responsibility

A big list to start with. These are the words that stand out to me. These are the things that I value about myself, my friends and my family. These are the things that I look for when choosing things like schools or caregivers for my children. These are the words that describe how I expect myself to act and treat others and how I expect others to act and treat me. I don't value them all equally so this is how I was able to have a second look at the list and decide which ones are more important than others.

Which values made the cut..
Honesty
Courage
Family
Positivity
Resilience
Responsibility

I didn't manage to cut it down to 5. I can't seem to leave any of these values behind so all 6 will continue on with me to the next step. Now it is time to rank them and find the most important. This doesn't seem like it will be an easy task but it's one I'm looking forward to. As much as I've thought about this task all week, I haven't  actually thought about which value would top the list. Now it's time to get in to it.

Value #1 - Honesty

Without a doubt this one gets the top spot. I value honesty from family, friends, carers, corporations, customers, employers, the list is probably endless. There are so many people out there who are dishonest. If we were all like that, I think the world would self destruct before very long. I pride myself on being a very honest person. Lies are much more often hurtful than they are helpful.

Value #2 - Responsibility

I believe responsibility comes with age. Even small children become responsible for their own actions and toys as soon as they are able to understand consequences. The learning and responsibilities continue until the day we die. I cherish family and friends who can stand up, be responsible and take ownership of their behaviour. I think those people are amazing and should be held close.

Value #3 - Courage

This is getting a bit trickier now, these values are becoming almost even in level of importance. This is an amazing task and I am loving it so far. Courage is something that I have always needed and expect to need for a long time. I needed to stand up for myself as a child and an adult. Now I also need to stand up for my children and my husband. I will also stand up for anyone not strong enough to stand up for themselves. I love being an advocate for others but I love teaching them to be courageous even more. Everyone can do it, courage goes hand in hand with self worth. When you believe you're worth standing up for, it's amazing the power you can possess.

Value #4 - Family

My family are the single most important thing in my life. I am surprised to see them down here at number 4 in my values ranking. The reason they are is because they need to come after the other values. I can't look after myself and my family without Honesty, Responsibility or Courage.

Value #5 - Positivity

This is a value that I have only recently realised the power of. The power of positive thinking can help you overcome so many obstacles. It can lift you up and change your world in a second. I've found so many positive people, words and pictures right here in the SYL challenge and I want to thank everyone that has helped me find it. I now find at least one inspirational picture a day to focus on and that is my mantra for the day. When I have a bad day, I read something positive and reflect on the positives in my life before I go to sleep. It is going to change my life, I just know it.

Value #6 - Resilience

I could not leave this lovely value off the list. I am a very resilient person, I always have been. I can face adversity and get back up over and over again. When people asked me how, I used to answer "because I have to, no one else is going to do it" but I've come to believe that it's not entirely true. Not everyone copes with hardship. Not everyone puts their children first and struggles through whatever that entails. I do these things without a second thought and I now know why. It's because I value Honesty, Responsibility, Courage, Family and Positivity. They are all linked and they all give me Resilience.

Who knew it would be harder to end this post than it would be to write it. I'm amazed that all my values tie in so nicely. They are exactly who I think I am, who I hope I can always be.

http://www.homelifesimplified.com.au/52-weeks-to-simplify-your-life-challenge/