What are my values?

Recently, I read a book that asked for my “core values”, in other words, those personal values that are important to me, like the specific traits and behaviors motivating and guiding my own decisions.

I must admit that I found myself put on the spot, incapable of thinking of anything in particular. This prompted me to pick up a pen and a sheet of paper and begin brainstorming in an effort to answer the question.
I came up with a few ideas that, I believe, reflect closely who I am:

• Adventure, enjoyment, risk taking 
• Effectiveness, perfectionism, focus on quality 
• Creativity, simplicity and determination 
• Love for people, for life and for healthy living Competitiveness, ambition and success 

As you can read, my values are probably not the same as yours, as we’re all different, and what makes one person happy may leave another feeling uncomfortable or disengaged.

Yet, taking the time to define our personal values and being able to live by them, is an important step towards feeling more fulfilled and making choices that will bring us happiness, even if others can’t fully share them or understand them.