I know in many of my blogs, I talk about how we can uncover, build, and sustain deep, meaningful foundations for our lives. I fully believe in the power of establishing a strong relationship with ourselves, bringing positive and helpful practices in to our daily routines, and being mindful of our thoughts and actions day in and day out. It’s this inner work that I feel extends into our outward reality, helping to navigate us through this winding, difficult and often times confusing life.

One of the most enriching, and clarifying practices that I now cultivate in my life, is to understand and tap into what I value. I remember so often as a little girl in school, I would hear teachers and mentors talk about family values or religious values or school values, like a rule of law that was to be followed, but really never understood. Values always seemed like they were placed upon me, rather than unearthed from within me.

In no surprise, those forced upon values didn’t seem to stick, and I began to notice as I got older that I didn’t really know what I valued, or what I stood for. I was always outwardly searching for what mattered to me, going with the grain, rather than taking a moment to check in with me to feel what was aligned.

Tapping into our inner values, is a huge step towards self-realization, to understanding, to confidence, and to a deep knowing of direction and purpose. Values are the cornerstones of our lives, they shape our beliefs, transform our thoughts, and heavily influence our words and actions.

I think sometimes we forget that we have the power to choose what we value, and we can amass the bravery to speak and act in alignment with those values. It’s an empowering and freeing reminder that I know we could all stand to hear in these times that we live in.

If, like me, you grew up with a set of values placed upon you, and feel a bit confused about how to tap in and uncover what is right for you, know that having the awareness and the desire is always the first step. Establishing the connection within, helps you to learn more about yourself, the person living your life, and how you want to live it, and it’s such a beautiful practice.

My favorite, and probably one of the simpler ways to uncover truths that live inside all of us, is to simply ask the important questions.

Sitting quietly, with a journal, slowly ask yourself these questions. Without overthinking or overanalyzing, write down what answers come to mind, and free write the responses.

• Who am I?
• What do I really want?
• What do I value?
• What impact do I wish to have on the world?
• What are the aligned actions I can take that bring me closer to what I desire?

Whenever I take part in this practice, I always learn something new about myself, and it is so rewarding. In establishing and truly understanding what I, Michelle, value in this life, I have felt such a feeling of freedom, confidence, clarity, and peace; and I wish that deeply for all of you.

xo,

Michelle

Michelle Maros is Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life's Creative Director and resident writer. She has a degree in Journalism from Indiana University and is also a certified holistic health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and registered yoga teacher with trainings with Anuttara Yoga Shala and Strala Yoga. Michelle has a deep desire to help people find happiness in all areas of their lives, and truly believes the Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life movement will bring lasting change to the world. Michelle splits her time between Florida and New York City and loves connecting with people from all over the world. If you'd like to contact her, she can be reached at 

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