Knowing & Living Your Values – Part 2

The values driving everything I do – in life and in business

My values run through all areas of my life. They are a through-line to everything that I am, strive to be, and do. They are represented in how I show up, how I interact with others, the things that I wear, and the work that I make.

As someone who runs a one-person, wholehearted creative business, it’s only natural that my values are also Painted Stories’ values. It’s not my intention to have my life and values over here and a business over there. They are inextricably linked.

I have learned from years of working in a field I didn’t love and in environments that were not a true match, that the result is feeling disconnected, out of sync, unhappy, and stressed. It creates a tension (or worse, an apathy) in your life and prevents you from putting your best self out into the world. So, I have come to learn that what I spend my days doing must be in line with the bigger values of my own life.

When your life is in sync with your values, you will feel grounded and sure of how you are showing up day-to-day. Your values are a tool. Once you know what they are, they become a check by which you can ensure all areas of your life are aligned. I go into how to uncover your values in part one of this series (read it here).

My Values:

Thoughtful

This means being present and aware in your life. It means thinking about what is important to you, what your goals are, where you feel in and out of sync, and how you might shift. For me, this includes spirituality, faith, and being willing to look at bigger life questions and experiences that are often difficult to navigate and find answers to. It is about slowing down and reflecting. It is also about feeling empowered and energized to live your best life.

Expressive

This is a colourful scarf, a fun pair of earrings that light you up and express who you are. It’s the creative work that you do. I love other creatives and meeting and learning from people who are shining their brightest light – whether living tiny, growing a magnificent garden, travelling the world, collecting artifacts, or putting new research out into the world. Their passion and joy from living and engaging fully is like a beacon that draws me in. Expressive is also the emotion, magic, and expression I pour into making the paintings and artworks that I do.

Crafted

For me, nothing beats the tactile experience of working with my hands. I love screenprinting, painting, and drawing. I value quality and have put a lot of thought and care into every piece of artwork or content that I produce.

Warm

It’s very important to me to be spending my days doing what I love and to be a positive force in the lives of those around me. I value being kind, listening to, and really seeing others. I want to meet you wherever you are at in your life journey. I love to hear your stories and help you capture them in an artwork so that you can cherish and carry your story with you in a way that is deeply meaningful for you, as you move forward.

Genuine

As I paint your stories, I also capture and share my own life stories within my work. I share as much as I can the things I have learned along the way that have helped me to live more fully, and be more calm and present in my day-to-day.

When your life is in sync with your values, you will feel grounded and sure of how you are showing up day-to-day. Your values are a tool. Once you know what they are, they become a check by which you can ensure all areas of your life are aligned.

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Uncovering Your Values – Part One of this series covers Finding and Living Your Personal Values. I talk more there about big and little changes that have come about from knowing my values.

I’d love to hear how knowing your values has helped shape your life. Follow along on Instagram to become a part of this ongoing conversation.

Another key piece to knowing how I want to show up in my life was finding what I call my Guiding Energy. I have put together a beautiful and in-depth PDF about Moving Beyond Your Inner Critics and Finding Your Guiding Energy which I hope you will find helpful and inspiring.

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