So…
This is hard. Not in the “I knew it would be extra work and require some extra time to complete” kind of hard. More of a “this is impossible” kind of hard.
Purposely living your values requires being purposefully mindful of your values at all times. And, that kind of sucks! Because you can never meet all of your values at all times. It’s like trying to be the ideal version of yourself at all times. Yes, that would be AWESOME…but, what are the chances of that happening? In fact, in my experience, the closer I get to my ideal self, the more my definition or characteristics of ideal self changes.
That’s where the really hard part comes in. It’s hard to keep going and keep trying. It’s easier to chalk it up to failure, or excuses, or focusing on something completely different
- “It’s those small gains on the field…that begin to change a family’s culture.” Photo by Fabricio Trujillo on Pexels.com
and avoiding it altogether (as all of us seemed to do the past couple of months.) It’s hard to admit defeat, brush ourselves off, and run back into certain failure again. Yet, it’s those small gains on the field, the extra hike, the reminder to treat our siblings with respect, the discussion with friends going through this experience as well, that begin to change a family’s culture. The little steps, these little wins, will land us in a different spot than where we began in the beginning of this values living journey. And who knows, our idea of what our family values may have grown exponentially by then…our goal post just changed–always slightly out of reach.
So…what is our plan for this month? Try to truly live. Be in the moment with our kids and encourage them to do the same. Meals together (even if it is only one parent not working and able to dine), joyful activities, and new experiences as opposed to new stuff.
Will meet our goal? Likely not. We will; however, gain a few steps forward in stead of continuing to languish in mediocre interactions.
Live Your Values, Everyday 