In life, we often fall into the trap of thinking, "When I achieve X, I'll be happy." Whether it's graduating, landing a dream job, or reaching a career milestone, we wait for circumstances to change so we can feel fulfilled. But here's the truth: change starts within us. When we align our daily choices with our core values, life feels more meaningful and manageable.

What Are Core Values?

Core values represent what is most important to you—your sense of worth and priorities in life. These values are shaped by your unique DNA and life experiences. There are no "better" or "worse" values, only those that resonate deeply with who you are.

For example, my personal values of integrity and nonviolence guide how I interact with the world. They stem from my upbringing and my belief that every person has significance and worth. However, I've also learned that even values that serve us can have drawbacks. For instance, rigid adherence to integrity sometimes makes me less flexible in seeing other perspectives.

How to Discover Your Core Values

If you're unsure what your values are, it’s worth exploring them. You can:

• Use online resources or tools to uncover your values.

• Reflect on your life experiences to identify recurring themes.

• Use the Authentic Living: Discovering Your Core Values workbook, designed to guide you through this process. (*Hey Girl You Can members can access this in their membership portal.)

Living in Alignment

Knowing your values is only half the equation—you also need to align your life with them. Here’s how:

• Make Values-Based Decisions: Use your values as a filter for every decision. For instance, if "Family" is a top value, ask yourself how a new job or project will impact your time with loved ones.

• Reevaluate Goals: Do your current goals reflect what truly matters to you? Or are they rooted in someone else’s definition of success?

• Set Boundaries: When you know what you stand for, it’s easier to say "no" to things that don’t align.

When Values and Reality Clash

Let’s be real—life isn’t always perfectly aligned with our values. We all have responsibilities and constraints that might pull us away from our ideal path.

But even in those moments, small shifts can make a big difference.

• Can you tweak your approach to make it more meaningful?

• Can you find ways to honor your values in other areas of life?

The Magic of Alignment

Living in alignment with your values doesn’t guarantee an easy life, but it guarantees a meaningful one. When your actions reflect your values, even challenges feel purposeful, and achievements feel fulfilling.

So, take a moment today to ask yourself:

• What are my core values?

• Am I living in alignment with them?

• What’s one small shift I can make this week to bring my life closer to what I value most?

The Big Question

As Karen Allen said: "I want every day of life to be wonderful, fascinating, interesting, creative. And what am I going to do to make that happen?"

This is your opportunity to take control of your life. Reflect on what you value, align your actions with those priorities, and create a life you love.

I'd love to hear thoughts - how are you incorporating your core values into your life?

Want a deeper dive? Watch the video HERE.