The Essence of You

Understanding Your Core

Discovering your core values isn't just an exercise; it's a journey into the heart of who you are. It's about peeling back the layers of what society expects of you, what your family and friends think is right and getting to the core of your authentic self.

Understanding your core involves recognizing the deep-seated beliefs and values that define who you are. It's about acknowledging your innate strengths, passions and what you stand for. This understanding is vital for personal growth and shapes your life's trajectory.

The "Value Island" exercise forces you to make tough choices under constraints, mirroring real-life situations where we can't have everything we want and must prioritize based on what we value most.

This exercise helps clarify your top values and encourages you to think about how these values guide your life.

Lets Play Value Island!

Materials Needed:

1. Pen and paper,

2. A dash of creativity

3. A sprinkle of imagination

Steps:

• List Your Core Values: Begin by writing down 15 values that are important to you. These could range from family, honesty and freedom, to creativity, ambition and kindness.
  

• Your Scenario: You find yourself stranded on Value Island for a duration of 6 months. As fate would have it, a small rescue boat is at your disposal but there's a catch – it can only carry 7 of your cherished values. Adding a twist to your tale, every month, a "Value Trade Boat" arrives at the island's dock, offering you the opportunity to trade one of your saved values for any you had to leave behind initially.
  

• Decide Which Values to Save: With the scenario vivid in your mind, scrutinize your list of values. Determine the 7 values you'd choose to save and bring along in the rescue boat. These chosen values are ones you believe are indispensable to your survival and happiness on the island. Throughout your stay, ponder the trades you might make each month and articulate your reasoning. Would you swap a value for something you realized you needed more? What drives these decisions?
  

• Reflect and Prioritize: After delineating your value choices and potential trades, delve into a reflection session. Consider why you prioritized these values over others. Explore the essence of these values in your life – how do they mold your identity, influence your actions, and guide your decision-making process? Importantly, consider how the option of the trade boat introduces the possibility to reassess our initial firm values when faced with an unknown environment. This aspect of the scenario reflects life's unpredictable nature, prompting us to think about adaptability and the potential need to realign our values as circumstances change.
  

• Discussion and Sharing (Optional):If you're venturing through Value Island as part of a group, seize the opportunity to share your findings and decisions. Discuss the values you held onto, those you were willing to trade, and the rationale behind your choices. This sharing phase can spark enriching conversations about diverse value systems, highlighting the unique perspectives and priorities each person brings to the table.
  

• Further Reflection: As your journey on Value Island comes to a close, think about any adjustments or commitments you need to make to ensure these values are at the forefront of your daily decisions and actions? This final step is about setting intentions to live in alignment with your core values, enriching your life with purpose and meaning.

Core Values and Identity

Your core values are intimately linked to your identity. They reflect your essence, the very core of your being, and serve as the foundation of your sense of self. When your actions and life choices are aligned with your core values, you experience a greater sense of authenticity and self-concordance. This alignment is crucial for developing a strong, resilient identity that can withstand external pressures and challenges.

Bonus Task: The Letter to Your Future Self

• Materials Needed: Pen and paper or a digital device for typing.

• Exercise: Write a letter to your future self, detailing who you hope to be, what you hope to have achieved, and the values you want to live by.

• Be as descriptive as possible.

• Seal this letter in an envelope, write a date on it for a future year and save it to open on that date. This exercise helps clarify your core values by projecting them into your future.

To truly understand your core, engage in regular self-reflection, seek feedback from those you trust and be open to discovering new aspects of yourself.

Core Values