Bringing Your Values to Life in Uncertain Times

I recently worked with a remarkable woman, Julie. She was unhappy and frustrated in her work. She felt unappreciated, she didn’t always believe in her abilities, she was afraid to speak up and be seen which led to low confidence and self-doubt. As a consequence, she wasn’t challenging herself, even she knew she was capable. 

We are in the most unusual and difficult of times right now. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has created so much uncertainty, it’s shaken us out of our comfort zones, disrupted our work, our daily routines and sense of normality. For many, concerns about the coronavirus outbreak have heightened feelings of stress and anxiety, impacting their mental health and wellbeing. And for some there has been the added pain of dealing with loss or the risk of loss of loved ones.

This pandemic isn’t going away any time soon and when much in our lives feels out of our control, how can we find some grounding and stability? Connecting to our core values can help give us back a sense of control.

What are core values? Our values are who we are, the qualities we value that bring us joy and a sense of being our true self. They serve as a compass guiding our choices and behaviours. When the things we do and how we behave align with our values, life feels good and fulfilling. When we acknowledge and honour our values in the decisions we make, life feels more satisfying.  

Everyone’s core values are different and unique. In my own work on values freedom/independence, family/stability and health/balance are my core values. Of course, these words aren’t unique and might also be articulated by others in their own values work. What is unique is what these values mean to me and how fully I honour and express them in my life.

She was furloughed in lockdown and finding it difficult, experiencing anxiety about the uncertainties of her job and impacting her confidence. She was staying connected to friends and family virtually, and practicing self-care, but she felt isolated, missing human connection and the normal daily routines of life.

We worked together to discover Julie’s core values, the qualities that felt most like who she was – her true self. As we explored these, themes that emerged were dancing/self-expression, travelling/adventure and family/stability. These were her core values, the qualities that made life fulfilling for her. 

We looked at how these values were being honoured in her life currently and she identified that they weren’t. We explored how she could bring more of these into her life. What would be nourishing and fulfilling for her in the current circumstances.   

Julie had a passion for dance, it gave her a sense of freedom and self-expression. Before the social restrictions she attended in-person dance classes and we brainstormed ways in which she could bring dance and self-expression into her life. So, she explored online dance classes and in finding one that matched she committed to attending one a week.  We did the same exercise for each of her values and in shifting her mindset in a positive way, she began to see a bigger life picture. She felt clearer on her values, what nourished her, what was important. Having clarity also helped her to set boundaries around work and personal life.

Knowing and connecting to our values can help provide a new sense of grounding and control in these difficult times.  We can get some clarity to what’s important to us and set boundaries around honouring those values. It helps to identify what’s missing in our lives and how we can bring more of what brings us joy into our lives.

How are the current circumstances impacting how you are living and honouring your values?

If you liked what you learned here and want to explore further, register for my 5-day Self-Confidence Boosting Challenge. A free 5-day mini email series to learn some simple strategies and daily exercises to help you boost your confidence at work and in life.

Every morning you’ll receive an email with a confidence boosting strategy and a small task to complete for that day. These are practical strategies that you can start doing straight away to help you boost your confidence.