Here are a few ways I know that autumn is in the air:
The leaves are turning colors and falling to the ground.
It’s getting colder.
My outside plants are nearly done…let’s be honest, they are almost dead.
And at least one of my kids needs new pants because they grew this summer. Sounds familiar?
Yet we are all so focused on what’s happening on the outside – how the world is changing around us. How many of you take this opportunity to look within?
Bringing Wellness into the Everyday
My yoga practitioner friends suggest that fall is a great time to turn inward, harness that which drives you and tap into your heart’s mandate (shout out to Blossom Yoga and Jill Lovato). I love that!
As a certified coach, I like to focus on helping people on their wellness journeys, tap into their intuitive leadership, learn to live a balanced life, or integrate mindfulness into the workplace. But with ALL of my clients, our work focuses on cultivating energy to live life on purpose. Where do core values fit in to how you cultivate your energy?
When I work with clients, this is one of the first things we tackle. It involves a process of brainstorming and elimination, digging deep into tough questions and allowing what bubbles up to bubble up. Noticing.
Most of you know what is important to you. You know what drives your decisions or serves as your “true north”, right?
Like many of you, I have attended leadership seminars, growth mindset conferences, and self-development courses over the years. Like you, I have done countless exercises on values. But I’m not sure I could simply name them out loud. I mean naming them in three or four words. Not concepts or sentences. Just words.
It wasn’t until I was working on my coaching certification course when I learned exactly what my core values were. In fact, I am looking at a yellow sticky note that is attached to my computer monitor right now. They are part of my every day and guide my intentions, help me set goals, evaluate progress and explore areas in my life where I want to improve. They guild how I want to show up. Every. Single. Day.
Mindful Moments
For this month, set aside some time in the morning to reflect on your values. Name them. And as you set your intentions for the day, decide what core value you want to “carry around in your back pocket” for the day.
When you look at the work through a lens of creativity or JOY, for example, it surely changes how you show up.
It is just as powerful to use this tool at the end of the day when you are reflecting – did I reflect my core values today? How did they impact my decision making and how can I do better? Give it a try.
