If you are doing the same thing over and over, day after day, and going to sleep at night with no understanding of the purpose of it all, I’d like you to know you’re not alone, and this can change! Today, I will give you five steps to align your actions with your values for a more purposeful life. Take the time to consider the strategies, tips, and ideas I share in this podcast. They will help you to change your life and move ahead on your journey of change!  Debunking assumptions about self-development Many people assume that those invested in self-development, who focus on themselves and work hard to grow, are unhappy and have something going wrong in their lives. There is usually nothing wrong with those people. They may just want to grow. An intriguing journeyWhen we start the journey of self-development, we realize how little we know about ourselves. As humans, we are complex, and learning about ourselves is intriguing!  MindfulnessWe may never get to know ourselves entirely. However, being mindful of our thoughts, feelings, and words can give us a little more control over our future. Mindfulness also allows us to understand more about how we impact others and helps us influence others positively.  Commitment  It takes a lot of work to grow and change. Committing to your self-development and growth is vital. 5 Steps to align your actions with your values for a more purposeful lifeBe certain of your values. Prepare to fail and prepare to learn. Acknowledge your assets and liabilities. Think small. Celebrate changes.

ValuesUnderstanding your values, and feeling confident enough to express them, is vital. If you don’t yet know what your values are, be patient and give yourself some grace as you come to understand what you value. It will take time, work, and intentional effort. Preparing to fail and learnI use an analogy where a mountain is your purpose and meaning, and a path up to the mountain peak is the process. Aligning our actions with our values and adopting a process-oriented approach can help us stay on the path for longer. That will lead to better and longer-lasting results. When things do not go as planned When we are prepared for the moments when things do not go as planned, and we are prepared to learn from those times, we can pick ourselves up and continue along the path. VisualizationImagine yourself standing at the foot of the mountain. Map out the route you will take to reach the mountaintop. When you are process-oriented and preparing to learn, you will see the mountain for every challenge, win, and failure that happens along your way. AcknowledgmentPart of mindfulness is acknowledging and accepting where we are. We need to acknowledge our assets and liabilities rather than boasting about our assets and dwelling on our liabilities. Questions to ask yourself to assess your current assets and liabilities:What are your current strengths? What are your current weaknesses? What are your current distinctive strengths? What are your enduring dispositions?

Answering those questions honestly will help you find the gaps between your true self and your desired self or between the life you are living now and the life you want to create.  Real change takes real timeIt’s easy to go all-in immediately when taking action toward something new. Unfortunately, motivation does not stay steady or increase with time. To make lasting and sustainable change, we need to create habits, and to create those habits, we must go slow and steady and focus on one small change at a time. I suggest dedicating just 30 minutes a day to focus on your new idea. Celebrating changeChange will happen as you move toward a more purposeful life. Even though that change is not your end goal, it is still worth celebrating!   Changing your path will be challenging, but it will be worth it!

Mentioned in this episode: Have You Every Felt Like You're Having an Identity...