Value Yourself!

In the last 6 months, I've done a lot of work on myself. I've spent my "time currency" primarily thinking, meditating, doing yoga, running, reading thoughtful books, seeing an incredible life coach, enrolling in (and taking classes for) a gender studies certificate program, spending extended time with my close family and friends, going to various mountain cabins, walking my dogs, and simply living.

I've gone to a few funerals too. My step-dad's funeral was last week. He was like a real dad to me. He loved me so intensely. He cared for me. He helped raise me. He has been sick for the last 3 months with various spine infections, surgeries, and complications… now he is peacefully asleep. I've learned so much from him and invested a lot of time with him, that I'm also at peace with his death. I’m sad that he’s gone and I miss him everyday….but I learned that I have to start living my life in accordance to my values because no one is guaranteed a tomorrow. He did just that….He lived a life according to his values - family happiness, helpfulness, and frienship. He died without any regrets.

I think that is why I feel happier and more at peace than I ever have. First, I have dedicated the last 6 months to finding my values. It’s not that I didn’t have some sense of what was important to me before, but I’ve done the hard work it takes to really: listen to myself, quiet the much-to-dominant voices of “society shoulds” to do this. Then, once I learned what it is I value, I needed to embrace those values, and figure out what I need to change in my life so I can live a life free of any regrets. I needed to start doing making some changes, stop road blocks to my own happiness, and continue doing some things that were working well.

We will all have different values, but in case you want to know what mine are, here they are (and yes, I’m putting it out there because I’m so comfortable with them, with my choices, with myself):

Inner Harmony: For me this means living a life of integrity, honesty, and consistency with my values. It is accepting inevitable change and adapting accordingly. It is recognizing when change is needed and acting on that change. It is about having the willingness to challenge the status quo for what you believe. It is having an open mind - recognizing others’ wisdom and continuing to learn even when you complete your formal education. It is a confident with who you are and comfortable in your own skin. It is being content and peaceful within.

Freedom: For me, this means living a life in sync with your values (creating the time to do so). I must have time to balance mind, body, and soul. I need to continually learn. I need to by active for my health. I need to be in tune with my connection to something larger than me. That balance is crucial for me.

Family Happiness: I value relationships – family and close friends. . I employ a strong magnetism to ensure that these people are strong and happy

Professionally: Even at work, I am a great team builder and a great leader (though I also work very well on my own). I create effective working relationships because I befriend my coworkers – learn what motivates them, what matters to them most, and their optimal working style. I do this because I continue to learn from and be inspired by my solid personal relationships with family and close friends. Ultimately, I learn how to be a friend to my coworkers and they reward that friendship with amazing business results.

Health: For me this is physical and emotional well-being. I function at optimal performance when I am mentally and physically enlightenment and stimulation. I practice being healthy by ensuring that I have a strong spiritual connection, a clear understanding of my own purpose, and emotional and physical welfare

Helpfulness: I have inherent gift to teach, inspire and coach others. I do so because doing so nourishes the core of my existence and enables me to positively impact my environment, my community, my family and my friends

Professionally: I recognized early on that Neutrogena needed a new hire-training program to facilitate new hires’ acclimation into the company culture. I proposed a rich training curriculum to management, gained their approval and a $25,000 budget, and successfully implemented the program I designed. It met with enthusiastic support from participants, many of whom thanked me personally for easing their transition into the company. Not only did management express their gratitude, they extended the program indefinitely and included it as an annual training forum to all national and international members of the Neutrogena team. This accomplishment demonstrates my desire and ability to keep all five (5) values close to my heart and at the core of my being.

That’s all for now. Go ahead….value yourself too!!!!