Week 2 -My Core Values

Part 2 Of Week 2 "52 weeks to Simplify Your Life Challenge".
So in my last post I pondered, worried, procrastinated and generally complicated the process.
Today I sat down and in the space of 3 minutes I have my list.
I know who I am.
I know what I stand for.

I stand for FAMILY.
 It is the reason I wake up in the morning. I am a peaceful person but if you so much as look funny at one of my family I will rip you apart. I will love, guard and protect them until my last breath. I am so blessed to have my children and I do not take that gift for granted. I am beyond blessed to have The Man I Married and although I occasionally forget to say it, I am forever grateful that he chooses to stand by my side. My Mum and Dad, Sister and Brother, and all my extended family are my community, my safe place, my village.

I stand for INTEGRITY.
 This might have a slightly different meaning for others but to me it means that you say what you mean, and mean what you say. It means you live with honesty and loyalty. It is what stops you from spreading or listening to gossip, it is what makes you look me in the eye and speak the truth, even if it is hard to say. It means being willing to have no friends rather than false friends.

I stand for ACCEPTANCE.
 I accept that my personality and lifestyle may not suit you, and I ask that you respect my right to live differently. I ask that you accept my children as the perfectly formed individuals they are, and don't judge them by society standards of normal. We are all equal, we are all here for a purpose, and accepting the diversity of lifestyles, personalities and choices is the first step in creating a truly united world.

I stand for CONTENTMENT.
 If you have read my blog previously you know I am all about watering your own grass rather than looking in envy at your neighbours green lawn. I strive to be content in my home, with what I have. That doesn't mean I don't desire other things, but I am determined to be content with what I have and am right now. When change comes, when opportunities arise I will embrace them, but where I am right now, is exactly where I am supposed to be.

I stand for BALANCE.
 I think it is essential to have balance in life. It can't be all work and no play. I can't surround myself with the same people constantly and never look beyond. My kids need me to be a mother, but they also need me to know and nurture myself as an individual. For every angry frown there needs to be a silly giggle. For every hour of hard work there needs to be an hour of play. And conversely, for every hour of mindless TV there needs to be an hour of dedicated effort. For every flippant silly remark there needs to be moments of truth and real feeling expressed.

I am greedy and have decided I get a sixth core value.

I stand for ENDURANCE.
Life is an endurance event. Marriage is a marathon and it takes endurance and dedication to keep running when you hit the wall. That is not to say it isn't a great thing, but there are hard kilometers to run, and it is endurance that keeps your feet going until you get another surge of buoyant energy.
Parenting is definitely an endurance event. It takes FOREVER! And even though you love your kids so much it actually aches, that doesn't mean there aren't long nights and lonely days, weeks/years of worry and uncontrollable road blocks. Our eldest son has Aspergers and that presents its own challenges. He is an awesome, wonderful young man on the brink of adulthood, but his schooling years have been grim and unkind to both him and me. He has endured ( and I alongside) to be now in his final year of schooling. The end is in sight and new horizons are sparkling with promise. Endurance.

So here I am, with 6 core values and the year 2012. I wonder what it will bring.

Have you ever sat and thought about your own core values? What do you stand for? You might be surprised. Some words I thought for sure would be in the top five didn't make the cut. The word Endurance doesn't sound like much of a value but it sits deeply within my life it could not be ignored.

If you are interested in Joining the "52 weeks to Simplify Your Life" click on the link and visit. You don't have to blog, you don't have to show anyone, but you might discover some wonderful things about yourself, and find a more simple and peaceful life.

Much Love
xxxx
Lisa

PS Re endurance in marriage- Staying committed through marriage is one thing, but violence within marriage is entirely different. When I say "hit the wall" I mean it figuratively. If you really hit walls or the floor, if your marriage hurts you, please seek help and safety. xxx