Hello there, and welcome to this blog post all about what drives us, our Why or what it's also called: Our core values.
I know this topic has been around forever and hyped very much as well, but it truly is an invaluable tool for finding out more about who we are, why we do what we do, and also – for finding out how much we have changed over time. It's very much like seeing ripples on the water: It all spreads out from the core, the centre point, and defines what waves are made.
If you want, head over to this site where you can get your core values worksheet, or do it later when you have read this journal entry.
Believe me, when I was presented with the core values exercise the first time, I secretly thought “Yuck! This is work! I ain't doing this!” 🤭 Only when I became more aware of the things that needed to be done in order for myself (and therefore anything else) to grow, I understood why I would want to find out my values.
There’s a lot in us that hinders us to achieve greater goals, and it can be truly difficult to figure out what is going on, especially with all the "Shoulds" and "Must" that surround us. The truth though is, that it lies within us and how much we align ourselves with our purpose, and follow our heart.
So, I invite you to do this little exercise with me now:
Imagine you wake up in the morning and grab your phone to check your messages (and why not, you have time, don't you?). You see messages from debitors, cancelled appointments, and people addressing you with “My dear, won’t you give me your money, I am a scammer.” You get up and step on a cat or dog toy (or even worse: LEGO!) and hurt your foot. You angrily brush your teeth, and from there on, everything turns into a downhill ride on a muddy slide. This feels awful, doesn't it?
But now, imagine once more that you wake up in the morning. The bed is comfortable, cosy and you are snuggled in, wrapped up in beautiful peace. Maybe you hear the birds sing outside, or maybe your cat or dog already greeted you with their unapologetic joy and happiness. The radio might be playing one of your favourite songs as well, and you can’t await to get the day started. You stretch, take some nice deep breaths, maybe meditate. You get up, and you know that – no matter what comes your way – you will handle it.
How does this make you feel? Happy, energised, and ready for the day?
Our core values feel the same: They are like those beautiful mornings that make you feel as if nothing can stop you and you can achieve anything. They are what really drives us, make us happy, let us follow our goals and lead us onto the best adventures in our lives.
Many people think that you need to separate your core values from those of your business, but I tell you a secret: That is utterly not true!
As small business owners, we are our businesses, and there is no separation from who we are and what we bring into our businesses. If there is, things don't work out properly. We can't be compared to the big brands, who function on completely different levels. At first, we need to follow our own guidance system. When we have grown into the size of a corporate brand (if you even want that!), then things do change indeed.
For now, we are humans who pour their passion into their business (which equals brand), and if that doesn't bring you joy or empowers you, there’s usually something off that our subconscious wants us to find out, so we can find a solution for it. And quite often, it is because we are acting against our values.
So, maybe everything feels heavy and difficult. Maybe you feel stuck. Maybe you despise your old branding (if you had one). Maybe you simply feel “Meh” when you think about your business.
That’s the time to seek out the root cause as of what’s going on, and in 99% of the cases, it’s us.
And here’s the beauty of this: Although it might feel scary, there’s pretty much ALWAYS a solution, and a quick one, too! It sometimes takes only seconds or minutes to get a new perspective and see the solutions that were right in front of us the whole time!
And always remember:
The past has been there to bring you to this point today. It enabled you to level up, today. It was there for a reason, and nothing that happened, needs to fill you with regret, anger, and sadness. It all had a reason. It’s what you learned from it, and make of it, that empowers you. And core values do change on the way as well!
Remember where you started and how far you have come. There is some pretty amazing stuff there, isn’t there?
And with that, I'll leave you to it, and don't forget to book a wee coffee chat when you like to explore this more.
Yours truly, Heike 🤘🌊🤘
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