Hi friends,

I know this year has been confusing, chaotic, and uncertain. Life has those elements anyways, but experiencing it all at once, can feel almost too much to bear.

Whenever life gets too overwhelming externally, I always take that as a cue to drill down, internally. I fully believe in the power of establishing a strong relationship with ourselves, bringing positive and helpful practices in to our daily routines, and being mindful of our thoughts and actions day in and day out. It’s this inner work that I feel extends into our outward reality and helps us to navigate through this winding, difficult, and often times confusing life.

One of the most enriching, and clarifying practices in my life, is to understand and tap into what I value. For so long I considered values to be institutionalized beliefs and systemic standards that were to be placed upon me rather than cultivated within me. Values are deeply personal, and play an incredibly important role in our lives. They are a foundational piece of our identity, influencing much of our thoughts, beliefs, and actions.

Knowing this to be true, we can begin to recognize the importance of understanding what we value, why we value it, and how we choose to live in alignment with those values.

In order to connect with our true values, we have to set aside the unaligned ones that have been placed upon us, and ask ourselves the important, vulnerable questions that resonate with our soul’s truth.

Sitting quietly, with a journal, slowly ask yourself these questions. Without overthinking or overanalyzing, write down what answers come to mind, and free write the responses.

Who am I?

What do I really want?

What do I value?

What impact do I wish to have on the world?

What are the aligned actions I can take that bring me closer to what I desire?

Whenever I take part in this practice, I always learn something new about myself, and it is so rewarding. In establishing and truly understanding what I, Michelle, value in this life I have felt such a feeling of freedom, confidence, clarity, and peace. I wish that deeply for all of you.

xo,

Michelle

Michelle Maros is Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life's Creative Director and resident writer. She has a degree in Journalism from Indiana University and is also a certified holistic health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and registered yoga teacher with trainings with Anuttara Yoga Shala and Strala Yoga. Michelle has a deep desire to help people find happiness in all areas of their lives, and truly believes the Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life movement will bring lasting change to the world. Michelle splits her time between Florida and New York City and loves connecting with people from all over the world. If you'd like to contact her, she can be reached at 

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