Every Modern Ninja in Training needs to have a set of guidelines or code of conduct for which to live their lives. This code of conduct that I speak of is known by most as Core Values. Your core values are what you stand for, and they guide most people’s behaviour. Whenever you are feeling “lost” in life, or when you have a hard decision to make or just when you fall off the wagon its a good idea to check in with your core values to guide you back to the right path.
I’ve learned over the years that I feel the most fulfilled when I consistently apply my core values to my everyday life. Whenever I go astray from my core values I end up feeling very stressed, irritable, moody, even depressed. Without a clear set of core values its easy to fall into bad habits and difficult to stick the habits that represent the values you wish to emulate.
Making decisions based on my core values is how I went from my “stable and secure career” with the Federal Government to walking away from all the benefits and pay to pursue a life where I make an income outside of the world of offices and cubicles. Most thought I was crazy, there are people dying to get in the government (okay I don’t know if they’re really dying to get in but I know that many would like the chance to have the security and decent salary that is offered in a government job). But my core value of happiness was not being met whenever I worked in cubicle graveyards so I left and haven’t been back since. I have less money but considerably more happiness which makes it all worth it.
So if like me you are on a path of self-improvement it would be very useful to you to be clear on what your Core Values are. Base your core values on the person you want to be, not on the person you are now. Remember your identity is not something set in stone for the rest of your life, you always have the power to change and to be the person you want to become. Growth is about so maybe sefl-improvement is not one of your Core Values if your thoughts and beliefs haven’t changed in the last two decades. We are all individual works of art with the capacity to be ever changing and evolving towards our limitless potential.
So if for example you want to be someone who values working out but right now you’re a certified couch potato, it doesn’t matter, write out exercise as one of your Core Value and later we can talk about how to progressively make changes so that you can become that person. Basically your Core Values is the Blueprint for the person you want to be and will reinforce you taking right action when the time comes if you are clear on what you want. So go and right out your Core Values as step 1 to Modern Ninja Training!
Write out a list of your Core Values and maybe keep your top 5-10 in mind for when you are in a situation that requires you to take action or make a decision that you are unsure of. You simply have to weigh each option against your Core Values to see where it stands, if too many of your Core Values are being violated then you know what to do. Sometimes doing something based on your Core Values feel difficult, sometimes to the point of feeling physical unease, but I find if you truly followed your Core Value that the feeling usually passes and it gets replaced with feeling of lightness and peace. When you become used to makeing decisions based on your Core Values you start to not even have that phase of feeling unsure, and stressed about your decision, you will go straight to feeling confident that you did the right thing. I once read and I truly believe: “Live by your core values and everything else will fall into place”
My Core Values:
- Health – Eating in a way that supports my health 80-85% of the time, Sleeping so that I am well rested and it supports the rest of my goals, Inner work such as meditating or visualization to create balance in mind body and spirit
- Movement – Having a training plan that incorporates mobility, flexibility, agility, strength, coordination, proprioception, balance, play
- Integrity – Honesty, fair, loyalty, values
- Happiness – Making sure that the activities I engage in allow me to maintain my sense of happiness and well being
- Freedom – Financial freedom, reedom to travel, take care of myself, move pain free
- Self-Mastery – Reading, practicing, learning, applying, self-aware
- Family and Friends – Spend time with family, show acts of appreciation and kindness
- Personal Time – Movement training session, brunch at my favourite cafe, dinner with friends, movies. Having enough time to do the things I want is imperative to my emotional, psychological, physical and mental well being
- Teacher – Teach people what I learn on the topics of health and wellness, habit change and self-mastery so that they can live more fulfilling lives and I can also live a more fulfilling life knowing I have helped someone for the better
- Gratitude – Taking the time daily to appreciate all that I have and all that I will get
I can say that on that list the family and friends one is the value that I really want to develop. It doesn’t come easy to me because I have a distant family that didn’t come together very often. As such we three siblings grew up very independent. Of course we all love each other we just don’t express it as much as I would like to so that is for me to work on.
If you need help creating your own Core Values to live by as your Code of Conduct feel free to hit me up!
