When you think of yourself in different areas of your life – are you the same everywhere? Do you represent the same values everywhere? Let’s say one of your top values is honesty. The question is: Are you living out this value constantly in all domains of your life: family, work, community, self? Or do you say to yourself: well, in my family I can be totally honest, but not at work – it is not possible to be 100% real.
So why can’t you be totally honest at work? What is the real reason? Maybe you don’t feel safe or valued in this environment and you have fear to really express your views? You are not sure, if you can trust your colleagues and that’s why you are not completely honest at all times? What effect does it have on you not not living out your core values (e.g. not being honest) at work?
I believe that when we are not in sync with our values wherever we are, we are not authentic and it makes us sick in the long run. I asked myself this question since a long time: Why are so many people unhappy at work? Why do so many people take medicine? Why do so many people feel stressed most of the time? Why are so many people seem to be unbalanced?
I think one reason is that people are not totally aligned in all the areas of their life.
The question is:
What are your core values? What do you really care about? Is it money, career, titles or something else? How do you spend your time and energy, what is important to you?
What is your long term vision in life? What legacy do you want to leave behind? How do you hold yourself accountable for doing what is most important to you in your life? How do you communicate this to others and tell them what’s the most important to you and what your aspirations are?
What can we do to start living authentically?
I think one first step is to find out who you really are (this might take a life long, but you can start now) – then you are able to take care of your whole person and act with integrity.
Do you know who you are? What makes you you? What differentiates you from others?
Another step of being authentic is to find out what is important to you, what you really care about (core values). Only then you can act with authenticiy. When you know your core values you can embody them consistently and be true to yourself wherever you go.
Do your actions align with your values? Daily? No matter where you are and in which group/ community?
Are you being open with others and share stories from where you have come and how your past experiences have shaped what you care about, e.g. your values?
A third step might be that you envision your legacy: are you able to articulate a vision of a compelling future that inspires you and also those around you?
And a fourth step might be that you challenge your own way of thinking or doing things. Try to see new ways of doing things, seing new paths, embracing change courageously and see if you can resolve conflicts among the different domains of your life: family, work, community and self.
You can start today by taking time in this busy world and reflect:
Who you really are deep inside – not what others want you to be
What you really care about
What you want to leave behind
What you can start doing differently or how you can think differently
I would be happy to hear about your reflections! Please leave a comment!