Values are the kind of thing that are hard to see and know, until you are out of sync with them. For example, I didn’t realize freedom was such an important value for me until I left the corporate world and reveled in the freedom I had to take a shower in the middle of the day if I wanted to. I still get giddy that I can do that! Mid-day showers are nice; having the freedom to make choices that support my being at my best – now that’s essential!

Sometimes we see the importance of values by how we respond to the behaviors of others. Take public or prominent people who talk about the importance of integrity, and then have an affair or engage in behavior they have condoned or lie on the company accounts to make results look better than reality … I don’t just see being out of sync with the espoused value of integrity. I feel sad that these people have created such misery in their lives just because they can’t be honest about what brings them joy! Enjoying the delicious delights of life in ways that are good for me and others – is really, really important to me!

For me, values are those things that are important, meaningful and that enliven me – aspects of being my best. Knowing how my values align with the values of others is critical – for me being at my best and giving my best to others.

In the IAM Follow Your Values lesson we look at how to determine your values ongoing, and how to align with them to create magical synergies within yourself and with others.

What do you know about values that’s useful? What are values and why might they be important to you?