A Simple Example of Values Based Living
A few weeks ago on the blog I wrote about how to identify your values and improve your life.
Your values are the why of how you live and what you do. Many of the decisions I make, and we make as a family are determined by what we value most.
Being a mom of young kids, there are a plenty of opportunities to volunteer at school. In the beginning, I volunteered for everything I could. My kids loved having me around and it was a great way for me to get out of the house and meet people in our community. But as time went by, I found that I wasn’t pursuing the things I loved. My excuse was, of course, time. The real problem was everything I did was negotiable, I lacked focus, and I was doing too many things half way. Of course, the volunteering was good but without me even realizing it, it had become a distraction.
The choices I made were not driven by my values but keeping busy and pleasing other people.
Over time, that has changed I as have pursued intentional living. I don’t get it right all the time, but I can confidently say that the way my family and I use our time, including how and when we volunteer, reflects our values. I stopped signing up for just any old volunteer spot just for the sake of it.
Then an opportunity came up that I couldn’t resist. A friend of mine asked if I was interested in being the committee chair for the TREP$ Entrepreneurship Education Program at my children’s school. My daughter had already participated in the program the year before and loved it. I immediately said, “YES!”
As a couple, my husband and I value Biblical financial principles. We believe we have a responsibility to steward what we have been given well. That includes spending wisely, increasing our income, resources, and wealth so that we can be generous, and then pass that legacy on by teaching our kids how to handle money.
I knew this was a values fit for me but had no idea just how amazing this experience would be for my family.
As the chairperson for the committee, I register students, support the workshop facilitators, and promote the Marketplace where the students sell their products and services. My husband is the Marketplace Coordinator and handles all the details of the program’s main event. Over the years, not only have each of my kids participated as student entrepreneurs but they have also been on hand with set up and clean up too. Most recently my oldest daughter, who has aged out of the program, has become an assistant to the class facilitator.
My husband and I consider our children a part of what we are doing and it is reflected in our language throughout the program and the event. For example, many of our conversations start with “We “ instead of “I”. Our kids get it; it’s our family’s thing.
When it comes time to make the opening remarks at the Marketplace, the principal thanks each person by name that has made the event possible. Instead of mentioning my name he mentions “the Amici family”. My children’s enthusiasm to be a part of this experience grows each year because they know they are apart of something that matters to us as a family and the community.
When I said yes to this opportunity I didn’t have to belabor the decision because I had already done the work to determine what my core values were. I didn’t have to wonder if I would enjoy it or if it was worth spending time away from other things to do.
You can have the same confidence making decisions when you are aware of your core values!
Not sure of what your 5 top core values are? It’s time to find out what they are!
It’s easier than you think. Check out my blog post on How to Identify Your Values and Improve Your Life and download this FREE worksheet that will help you.