what do you value?
“Values are like fingerprints. Nobody’s are the same but you leave them all over everything you do.”
– Elvis Presley
I love how a single word means many things.
In Nuu-chah-nulth (Nuučaan̓uɫ), the language of the Tla-o-qui-aht people, the word čuu means goodbye, thank you, acknowledged, let’s go. Aloha from 'Ōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian), means hello, goodbye, love, peace, and compassion.
Words and meaning matter when it comes to values. Values are compass points. They guide decisions so we live in alignment with what matters to us. Values like integrity, kindness, community, respect. Like aloha and čuu, these words have multiple meanings.
If you don’t know your values, there are lots of exercises out there and it’s something coaching is great for. If you know your values, it’s a great practice to revisit them often so they stay present in your decision-making.
How your partner, friend or boss defines a value is likely different from yours. That’s where we sometimes crunch with one another — our values may be shared yet our definitions differ. We live them differently.
As we enter the last third of 2024, I invite you to reflect on your values and what they mean to you.
Some coaching questions:
What do you value?
What do these values mean to you?
How do your values guide your choices?
How might someone else define this value?
May your values guide your way.