Inner Drive

"The answers to the question of values will come only when you're willing to take a journey through your inner territory -- a journey that'll require opening doors that are shut, walking in dark spaces that are frightening, and touching the flame that burns. But at the end is truth."

How can values be scary?

For some, getting clear about personal values is a frightening journey towards the truth. And once you figure out what you truly care about, what drives you, or what really gets you out of bed every day, there is no going back! You simply cannot ignore it!

The trouble is, many people do not dig deep enough to intimately articulate what is important to them. They do not build that conscience to guide them through life. Do you want your conscience nattering at you all the time? Probably not!

However, as scary as this journey can be there are certain benefits to personal values clarity:

Values Clarity is Empowering
Personal values clarity is empowering. When we are clear about our personal values, we are much more in control of our own lives. For instance, when we are acutely aware of our personal values and live them, suddenly the smallest actions or gestures can have a huge impact.

Further, with greater awareness of what matters we tend to make decisions based on integrity for longer-term positive results -- not to mention peace of mind. We feel good and empowered when we can honestly say we made choices in life based on what we truly value.

Values Motivate
Values motivate us in that they keep us focused on why we do what we do and on the ends toward which we are striving. Life can get busy and it can get tough. Have you ever needed to remind yourself why you embarked a new difficult endeavor?

Reminding ourselves of our values can pull us through difficult times and keep us motivated to reach our goals or to take us through life transitions.

Values Rejuvenate
Similarly, we refer to our values when we need to replenish our energy. As Kouzes and Posner put it, "values are the banners that fly as we persist, as we struggle, as we toil." When you are feeling off balance and in need of rejuvenation we are drawn to spending time doing the things we value most. It might be watching a football game or spending time with family. Whatever that value may be, refocusing on what matters can be a powerful way to get energized so that we can take on our next challenge.

Values Resolve Conflicts
Values can keep you and your colleagues, friends, family, community on course, especially when you become engaged in conflicts or controversies. Getting caught up in conflict can keep individuals preoccupied with petty differences. Instead, adopting a broader, bigger picture focus through values clarity can assist individuals with moving past the pettiness of the conflict.

Ultimately, when you know what matters to you, letting go of the small things that do not matter can be quite freeing. It allows you to let go of getting what you think you need, instead of what you really need.

Values Provide Focus
Values can also help us move forward with focus. Just reminding yourself of the principles that are most important often can refocus your attention on the things that really matter.

Understanding our core values can raise us up to see the bigger picture, removing unimportant activities and actions from your busy schedule. Using values as our guidepost for action encourages us to do more of the "right stuff" while kicking the "wrong stuff" to the curb.

So, although the journey toward realizing what we truly value in life can be a bit daunting the benefits are many. Get clear about what you believe in! Take the time to self-reflect, to soul search or to re-assess your values. Doing the work to get there is well worth it!

Inner Guidance

Just read this great article.

Wanted to share it.

Using Your Inner Guidance System
By: Brian Tracy

You have incredible powers of mind and emotions that give you timely and accurate feedback in every area of your life.

In this newsletter, you learn how to "tune in" to yourself so you can make the right decision in every situation.

Using Your Inner Guidance System
We know that the body has a natural bias toward health and energy. It's designed to last for 100 years with proper care and maintenance. When something goes wrong with any part of our body, we experience it in the form of pain or discomfort of some kind.

We know that when our body is not functioning smoothly and painlessly, something is wrong, and we take action to correct it. We go to a doctor; we take pills; we undergo physical therapy, massage or chiropractic. We know that if we ignore pain or discomfort for any period of time, it could lead to something more serious.

How to Tell Right From Wrong
In the same sense, nature also gives us a way to tell emotionally what's right for us and what's wrong for us in life. Just as nature gives us physical pain to guide us to doing or not doing things in the physical realm, nature gives us emotional pain to guide us toward doing or not doing things in the emotional or mental realm. The wonderful thing is that you're constructed so that if you simply listen carefully to yourself-to your mind, your body and your emotions-and follow the guidance you're given, you can dramatically enhance the quality of your life.

Just as the natural physical state of your body is health and vitality, your natural emotional state is peace and happiness. Whenever you experience a deviation from peace and happiness, it's an indication that something is amiss. Something is wrong with what you're thinking, doing or saying. Your feeling of inner happiness is the best indicator you could ever have to tell you what you should be doing more of and what you should be doing less of.

The Messenger
Unhappiness is to your life as pain is to your body. It is sent as a messenger to tell you that what you're doing is wrong for you.

Very often, you'll suffer from what has been called "divine discontent." You'll feel fidgety and uneasy for a reason or reasons that are unclear to you. You'll be dissatisfied with the status quo. Sometimes, you'll be unable to sleep. Sometimes, you'll be angry or irritable. Very often, you'll get upset with things that have nothing to do with the real issue. You'll have a deep inner sense that something isn't as it should be, and you'll often feel like a fish on a hook, wriggling and squirming emotionally to get free.

Divine Discontent
And that is a good thing. Divine discontent always comes before a positive life change. If you were perfectly satisfied, you would never take any action to improve or change your circumstances. Only when you're dissatisfied for some reason do you have the inner motivation to engage in the outer behaviors that lead you onward and upward.

Listen to yourself. Trust your inner voice. Go with the flow of your own personality. Do the things that make you feel happy inside and you'll probably never make another mistake.