Create Your Inner Compass: Let Your Values Guide Your Life and Decisions
My husband and I recently made a big decision – one of those decisions that invites opinions from every direction, often from people who don’t share the same vision or mindset as we do. You’ve likely experienced something similar in your own life.
For us, it became an opportunity to pause, reconnect with our values, intentions, and vision for the future, and make our decision from that place rather than from outside expectations.
The question these types of situations ask of us is: How do I stay rooted in who I am when life feels so full and so complex?
The answer, for me, has been surprisingly simple. Not easy, but attainable:
Know your values.
Know your purpose.
Keep them close enough that they can guide your decisions before fear, pressure, or outside expectations do.
This practice has brought me a deep sense of clarity and groundedness. It has helped me move through life with more confidence and peace … not because life has become less messy, but because I’ve become more anchored in what matters most.
This month, I’m inviting you to try this reflective practice too.
And if your brain immediately jumps to, “I don’t have the time or energy for this,” welcome to being human. Mine does too. But what if, instead of believing that first thought, you listened to the quieter one that says, “This will help me grow” Then do it.
Set aside 20–30 quiet minutes with a journal, take a few slow breaths, and explore the questions below with curiosity and openness rather than trying to find the “right” answers.
There are no perfect answers. In fact, your answers will probably evolve over time. The goal isn’t to define yourself forever. It’s simply to better understand yourself today.
Reflect on Someone Who Has Influenced You
Think of someone who has made a meaningful, positive impact on your life. They might be someone you know personally, a mentor, a family member, or even someone you’ve admired from afar.
Ask yourself:
- What qualities do they embody that I deeply admire?
- Which of those qualities would I like to cultivate within myself?
- What is it about the way they move through the world that inspires me?
Often, the qualities we admire most in others reveal the person we’re becoming ourselves.
Reflect on Your Own Gifts
Take a moment to genuinely appreciate yourself and what makes you, you.
Ask yourself:
- What are my natural gifts and strengths?
- When do I feel most energized, fulfilled, or fully myself?
- How do I naturally contribute to the people around me?
Reflect on What Matters Most
Now zoom out and consider the bigger picture.
Ask yourself:
- What makes life feel deeply meaningful to me?
- When do I feel most alive?
- What impact do I hope to have on the people around me?
- What do I feel called to contribute to the world?
- What kind of person do I want to be?
This is not about finding the “perfect” answer or writing what you “think” you “should” say. Instead, allow yourself to write whatever feels true in this season of your life. Be bold! Be courageous! Be you.
As themes emerge, try weaving them together into a short paragraph. It doesn’t need to be perfect but it does need to feel true. Some might call it a mission statement or statement of intent, but I like to think of it as your Inner Compass: a reminder of who you are, what matters most, and how you want to move through the world.
Whenever I’m faced with a difficult decision or feel pulled in too many directions, I come back to my Inner Compass statement. It has become the filter that asks, Does this choice align with who I am and how I want to live?
I’ve found it helps me make decisions from a place of intention instead of fear, urgency, or obligation. My hope is it does the same for you.
If you feel called to, share your Inner Compass statement with a loved one – or reply to this email and share it with me. I’d love to hear it!
Wishing you a beautiful July filled with presence, purpose, and alignment.
With gratitude,
Ashton
