Living in alignment with what truly matters
Sometimes life feels like some strange sort of whirlpool. Crawling into bed at the end of the day, blurry from the hamster wheel of tasks that moved you from one hour to the next on autopilot. It may be my enneagram 4-ness, but something that can really get to my head is the question of “Are my days adding up to something that truly matters?” I think we all wrestle with that question subconsciously to some extent. This practice has been pivotal in guiding my sails towards purpose and truth, even in seasons that may feel mundane, and I often lead clients through it as well. Ready to explore together?
The problem:
You have things you deeply value in life, but when taking a magnifying glass to your days, those values often aren’t what take up the most surface area. You constantly feel swept away by patterns of busy, monotonous, task-driven hours and days that create a lifetime.
The desire:
But you desire to know what matters most to you, and to let those values be the guides that move you through each days, creating a life that aligns with your unique purpose and truth.
The solution:
You can steer the ship instead of being dictated by the waves, when you take time to pause and identify your true north, and then redirect your sails. You move from living on autopilot to living on purpose.
3 Steps for living in alignment with what matters most to you
We all have long lists of things we feel we “should” be doing. But if these things don’t ultimately point towards our core convictions and values, our ship ends up just trying to stay afloat every day, rather than sailing towards the true north you were made for. We have to gain clarity, and then clear the baggage, so that that ship can sail - purposed, free, and fully alive.
1. Identify your convictions
Convictions are you firmly held truths about life. In a sailing analogy, this may be your true north, the thing you’re sailing towards.
What is the first and foremost truth about the meaning of your life? Write it down!
There is no “right” answer, and it may shift over time, but once you have an idea that feels true to you, fill in this sentence:
"My life’s purpose is….”
2. Identify your core values.
Values are the things that matter most to you. You might have a lot of things that are important to you, so try to narrow it down to the ones that feel like a reflection of your convictions. In our sailing analogy, if your convictions are your true north, your values are the most critical things that stay on board with you as you sail onward. Now fill in this sentence:
“What matters most to me in life is…”
3. Identify rhythms.
Rhythms are the things you do daily to stay in alignment with your values and convictions in order to create a meaningful life. Back to our sailing story…Conviction are your true north, Values are the important things in your ship, Rhythms are the wind in your sails guiding you forward. Here’s where we often see the breakdown between what matters most to us and the substance that our days are made of. It’s easy to have rhythms of checking off to-do lists, worrying about the future, comparison, hours of watching Netflix, scrolling through social media, striving to climb the success ladder, etc. We also have rhythms that are just the monotonous tasks of living in each season of life…packing lunches, caring for children, attending meetings, etc.
It’s important to identify what rhythms we participate in, which ones we’re called to, and which ones may be crowding the sails with stagnant winds. Take a minute to write down some routines that you participate in daily (mental, emotional, relational, professional, physical). What might be helpful to release? Now complete this sentence:
“The things I can do daily that will allow me to live more in alignment with my core values are….” (these may be as simple as a daily walk with a loved one, time in prayer, doing one act of generosity, etc)
Create Your Roadmap
Lastly, create a visual reminder to return to daily. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just explore! Fill in the blanks using your own convictions, values, and rhythms to create your roadmap.
Conviction: “My purpose in life is….(fill in your conviction)”
Values: “Therefore, the things I value most are….(fill in your values)”
Rhythms: “To live in alignment with my values and convictions, I engage in daily rhythms of….(fill in your rhythms)”
When you hit the pillow at night, you may not have completed all of your tasks or tied every loose end, but if you engaged with your rhythms of alignment, you are indeed moving in the right direction.
May you journey valiantly through your holy and precious life, with fresh wind in your sails and beloved people and purpose in your boat.
All of my love and light,
- Christina
***Want to know what MY conviction, values, and rhythm map looks like? Email me and tell me ONE thing you value most in life, and I’ll send you my personal answers to the above practice :)
***If this practice was intriguing but you feel stuck and would love a guide to help you identify your convictions, values, and rhythms for a more meaningful life, reach out! I’d love to walk beside you through email or a one-on-one coaching session!