Discover your core values.
Take a moment to settle in.
Let your body find stillness in whatever position feels easy and relaxed.
Close your eyes and let your breath begin to slow.
With every inhale,
Allow yourself to be grounded.
And with every exhale,
Let any stress go.
Maybe the tightness in your shoulders or a busy thought circling your mind.
You don't have to do anything perfectly here,
You just want to be present.
Now gently bring your attention to the center of your chest.
And softly place your hand over your heart.
Focus on the space around your heart.
Breathe into that space as if you're giving it room.
Room to speak and room to remember.
I want you to imagine you're walking into a quiet,
Beautiful room.
It's comfortable and it's yours.
You see on the far wall a carved wooden table.
And on it,
A box.
And you know that something inside that box is important to you.
Your core values.
But before you walk over to the table,
You're first going to take a seat in the armchair next to you.
It is big and comfortable and you sink into it for cozy support.
Now take a deep breath as you get situated.
Deep breath in and breathe out.
Now I'm going to ask you to think about a few moments from your life.
Each one will help you recognize what truly matters to you.
Not what you've been taught should matter.
But what actually lights you up or floats your boat.
But also what feels heavy when ignored.
Let's begin.
Think of a moment in your life when you felt incredibly proud.
Not because someone praised you.
But because something in you said,
Yes,
This is who I am.
Where were you?
What were you doing?
Who was around you,
If anyone?
What about that moment made it meaningful?
Now ask yourself,
Why did the situation feel so good?
What core value was present in that moment?
Was it kindness?
Bravery?
Beauty?
Community?
Justice?
Excellence?
Loyalty?
Was it that you stayed true to yourself?
Or showed up for someone else?
Let that word or feeling rise.
Don't overthink it.
Bring that core value word to the front of your mind.
And don't worry if you can't see it yet.
We can come back to this.
Now we are gently going to shift to a different kind of memory.
Think of a time when you felt unsettled.
Maybe even betrayed.
Not by someone else,
But by your own actions or inactions.
Maybe you agreed to something that felt wrong.
Maybe you stayed silent when your voice wanted to speak.
What core value was missing in that moment?
Was it honesty?
Freedom?
Respect?
Authenticity?
Communication?
Fairness?
Dignity?
Let yourself feel that for a moment.
Not to judge,
But to learn.
Now breathe gently.
Come back to the armchair and room.
And look over to the wooden table.
The box is still there,
Waiting.
Now get out of the chair and take your time.
And walk towards the box.
And lift the lid.
Inside are small glowing stones.
Each one inscribed with a word.
You recognize these words.
They are your core values.
As you look in,
You see some of the words clearly.
Perhaps three.
Maybe four.
But no more than five.
They shine brighter than the rest.
And these are your core values.
Let them come forward.
And pick the ones that most speak to you.
Or that feel like home.
Again,
Don't worry if you can't choose between some stones.
We can come back to this.
But for the ones you have picked,
Say them to yourself slowly.
One at a time.
These words are more than preferences.
They are the principles you return to.
Especially when life feels off track.
They are what help you make aligned decisions.
They're how you know what's truly right for you.
Place those glowing stones in the palm of your hand.
Feel their warmth.
Feel their truth.
Now gently place them back into the box.
Knowing you can return to them any time.
You don't need to remember every detail.
You just need to remember how it felt to know what matters to you.
The room begins to fade.
Your breath deepens.
The world around you comes back into view.
Softly and gently.
Wiggle your fingers.
Roll your shoulders.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes.
You've given yourself permission to know what truly matters to you.
If you can remember your words,
You might want to write them down to get a list started.
I would suggest bookmarking this meditation and coming back to it a few times in the next days,
Weeks or even months.
In time you will get clarity on your core value words.
Maybe pick up some new ones.
Discard ones that don't feel quite right.
And even group similar ones together.
And decide on an umbrella word that you know encompasses all in that group.
Like community as the umbrella word for relationships,
Friendships,
Teamwork,
Belonging and connection.
Be patient with yourself.
Core values work can be a work in progress,
But a very rewarding path.
