Find Your Core Values to Focus for 2013

I’m excited to be hosting Tammy Helfrich today on my blog. Tammy loves motivating and encouraging people toward life change.  You can learn more about her and connect with her writing below the post.

Are you needing Focus? Over the last few years, I have been working to better understand my core values. It is something that I think we can all be more intentional about.  

While reading Marc’s book, one of the first quotes that stuck out to me was this one.

“Sometimes our struggle is not to choose a good thing over a bad one; it’s choosing which good thing to do with our limited resources.”

This is where I have been lately. I very rarely need to think about choosing good over bad (with the exception of food, but that is another post for another time.)

What I have found difficult, however, is choosing between all of the good things to do with my limited resources. I love helping people. I love serving. I am a do-er.

About a year ago, I was really struggling with this. My pastor warned me that because I was really excited about life, it was really easy to get pulled into a million different directions. He was right! He suggested that I create a filter. It really helped me. I not only looked at my core values but also looked at what is important to me right now. Then, when opportunities present themselves, I have something to filter them through. If it matches, then I can determine if it’s something I can do now and commit to. If it doesn’t fit, then I know it’s something I need to say no to.

I’m in the middle of Marc’s book right now, and he has many great suggestions for figuring out your core values. There are contemplative exercises that have been helping me refine whether my values are truly authentic, or only aspirational values.

One of my authentic values is serving. I have been blessed to realize that not only is this a core value, it is also something that completely energizes me. When I am serving others, I feel completely at peace. It is amazing what happens when we learn to be intentional with our gifts and values.

As we head into 2013, I am refocusing my core values. I am taking Marc’s advice, and I plan to be more intentional and to be a better, more focused, more life-giving version of me.

Question: How has focusing on core values helped you be more intentional? Share in the comments below.