what's your core value?

The discussion and question around core values is something that's very prevalent in the entrepreneurial world. Business owners and entrepreneurs are encouraged and reminded that their business should reflect their personal core values because their business is an extension of them and, so, both should be in alignment. However, this isn't just a question for entrepreneurs. It's a question that we all should be asking ourselves.

When someone is asked what their core value is, more often than not they'll give more than one answer. Indeed, the accepted number to list tends to be either 3 or 4. Their answer could include authenticity, honesty, transparency, peace, freedom, loyalty, humanity, connection, creativity, gratitude, generosity, respect, change, balance, alignment, grace, excellence, kindness, patience, forgiveness... to give just a few examples.

Perhaps you can already list your 3 or 4 primary values?

However, whilst it's great to know your primary values, it's even more insightful when you discover your core value, the value that is at the heart of all your primary values, the value that is at the heart of everything you hold close, the value that is at the heart of you.

I recently did this very thing with a coach. And I invite you to do it now too.

During the exercise I was asked what I believed my core value was. And I chose one of the three I commonly list when asked that question.

After I shared it, I was asked a series of "Why" questions. Everytime I answered "why", I drilled further down into that value, understanding what it meant to me before I could drill down no further.

I then moved onto the next of my 3 primary values and, again, drilled down until I could go no further. And finally to my third primary value.

Each time I drilled down, I came to the same single word "freedom" and could drill no further. At "freedom" there was nothing more. So "freedom", for me, is my single core value, the value from which all other values stem.

Such an interesting and eye-opening exercise that I encourage you to try.

Since determining my core value of freedom, I have looked at things very differently. For example, if someone or something triggers me and I felel the desire to react, when I look into what they've said, done or what has happened, and why I was triggered, eacha nd every time has been because I felt it impacted my core value of freedom.

The most recent example in my life happened very recently when the Austrian government, alongside other European countries such as Germany and The Netherlands, chose to tighten their restrictions around the requirements of citizens and residents in relation to the corona virus. These countries used to enforce what is known as the 3G rule: "geimpft, getestet, genesen", meaning vaccinated, tested, recovered. To enter a restaurant, bar, or close-contact service such as a hairdresser, you needed to provide proof of either being vaccinated, tested or recently recovered.

I was a supporter of this ruling as, being unvaccinated, I felt safer knowing that the people around me had, at least, been tested and received a negative result meaning they did not show signs of hosting the virus.

However, recently, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands stated that they would be moving from the 3G ruling to a 2G ruling. This change meant that anyone wishing to enter a restaurant etc or a close-contact service like a hairdresser had to show proof of either being vaccinated or recently recovered from the virus. Not only that but Austria chose to enforce a 10-day lockdown (minimum) for anyone who hasn't been vaccinated or recovered. I would be included in this lockdown.

Since the arrival of Covid, I have made every attempt to avoid it impacting my life. What I mean by that is, I don't follow the statistics of new cases or deaths, I try to avoid unnecessary conversations about the virus, I don't listen to the news or read newspapers anyway so that's an easy avoidance. Basically, from the start I made the conscious decision not to let information about the virus enter my precious energetic space because I understand the Law of Attraction, I understand the concept of "where attention goes, energy flows", I understand the truth that we create our own reality.

Some people have referred to me as ignorant or naive as a result. However, I know it's the right thing for my immune system and for my energy, especially as I made the informed decision not to be vaccinated.

The only time I have really felt impacted by the Corona virus, the only time I let my guard down was when Austria applied the 2G ruling and enforced a lockdown on anyone not vaccinated or recovered.

At first, I couldn't understand why I felt so triggered. To be honest, it really wasn't going to have much of an impact on me apart from wanting to visit a Christmas market or get my hair cut... both of which aren't priorities and aren't necessary for me to continue to live the happy and healthy life I have been leading since the outbreak. And yet I fet so triggered. Why?

Then I did what I have been doing since uncovering my core value of freedom, I took the situation and broke it down to understand why I was reacting the way I was, why it was triggering when I had never felt triggered before. And it was then that I realised that the government's actions were impacting my core value of freedom. Their new rulings felt like an attempt to take my core value away from me, to rip it out of my very being.

When someone or something tears at your core value, you'll feel triggered and you may react in a way that feels out of alignment to who you are. Because they are reaching in and tearing at your soul, at your very core. And it's natural to want to fight back because your core value is your life, your essence, your very being.

When I was told that Austria was moving to 2G and enforcing this lockdown, the anger I felt inside was something I rarely experience, the strength of my reaction: wanting to fight, wanting to yell was something I rarely feel.

It wasn't until I realised that the new ruling was impacting me at my core value that I understood that my extreme reactions were an attempt by my very essence to survive because my core self, my core value, was under threat.

That may sound extreme and, indeed, sitting here and writing about it does feel too extreme. But it happened. And I guarantee it happens to you too. When someone or something threatens your core value, you react in a way that, looking back, seems extreme... but it's not.

Like I said earlier, I highly recommend you try the exercise to determine your single core value. Once you do you'll gain so much more insight into why you react to some things more strongly than others and how you can return to a place of peace through better understanding of those triggers.

Viv xx