I ain’t your mama, but, it’s time to get your priorities straight my love. Do you ever struggle with trying to do so much that you feel like what you’re doing isn’t what you should be doing? This is a symptom of not being aligned with your core values.

Back when you were very young, somebody likely told you what your priorities should be? Clean your room. Do your homework. Sound familiar? And now, you’ve got TV shows, magazines, bosses , significant others and various gurus telling you what you should be doing, right? It’s easy to feel like there’s so much to do and that you’re being pulled in multiple directions with a continuously growing list of things to do.

Personally, I don’t believe in telling anybody what to do – at least not when you don’t know what that person’s core values are. In fact, it’s extremely difficult if not impossible to figure out what you, yourself, need to do if you don’t know or aren’t crystal clear on what your own core values are.

Core values are what YOU (your own understanding) know to be your highest truths. In other words, they are the universal principles nearest and dearest to your heart. They are the concepts and ideals you desire in your life, the principles that guide you and the characteristics you demonstrate, spread or admire. They can be things like freedom, honesty, compassion, respect, love, etc.

Take time and come up with the 3 to 5 values that resonate the most deeply with YOU.

It doesn’t matter whether you think it’s true or present in your life to the extent you’d like right now. If it resonates deeply, at your core, then it’s likely one of your core values. There’s no right or wrong answer. There’s only the answer that works for you.

What core values are most important to you? What are your guiding principles?

Now, it’s time to get your priorities straight. And, in this case, your priorities are your core values. Once you figure out your core values, you can tune in to what’s going to be most supportive to you and your values. You also can focus your time and energy on the activities that are most aligned with your own values. This will aid you in determining how to spend your time and direct your energy. When you’re feeling scattered or unsure of what to do, you can simply ask yourself, “How does what I’m doing connect to or align with my core values?”” Or “What activity or task will bring me closest to experiencing my core values?”

For example, if one of your core values is empowerment, does/how does what you’re doing empower you? And even if it’s a necessary task that you may not enjoy, like cleaning the oven, you can ask yourself, “How can I do this in a way that is more empowering to me?” Believe me — there’s a way. Let your creative mind find the solution – perhaps, hire someone to do the job or psych yourself up by putting on some empowering music or making it your “me and I” time. It may never become your favorite thing to do, but you can certainly connect it to a core value. When you connect an activity with your core values, you’ll be pleasantly surprised how things naturally begin to straighten up and you find the perfect order for doing things in your own way and in accord with your own understanding.