Family Values Audit

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This week at work I had to complete and submit my self-evaluation on how I am living into our organizational core values. This is a process that I truly enjoy. I believe strongly in these core values and through this process of evaluation I am required to to step back and really reflect on how I live them out in my daily work. I consider this an opportunity to do some self-work. To really understand myself better and why I make certain choices at work.

As I was reflecting on these values, it occurred to me that this might be a really great exercise for me to go through in my personal life, with my personal values. When I was pregnant, I spent significant time clarifying my personal values on my own, and my husband and I had many long conversations about our family values, all in preparation for the family that we were building together.

But when Jacob was born and the craziness of new motherhood hit me. I thought a lot about how things were going on a day-to-day basis, but it has been over a year since I have stepped out of my every day life to really think about my personal and family values and how I am and am not fully living into them.

I should note as a sort of confession that it is absolutely shameful that I have not even thought to do this yet. My job at work is to provide leadership development to people to help them lead from their values in order to make leadership choices and prioritize impact based on their most deeply held beliefs. I encourage people to stop and reflect and re-align their actions with their beliefs. I get paid money to do this (I’ve over simplified what I do for a living, but you get the gist). But I haven’t once stopped and thought: “Hey Rach, it might be a good idea to think about how you are living up to your values at home with your husband and son. Maybe try practicing what you preach.” Fail.

I want to share with you parents out there some tools and questions that I use to help clarify my values and to help me understand how I am and am not living up those values. I hope that you will find them as useful as I do.

Values Audit Worksheet

I’m going to make the time to do this reflection for myself; I think it will be good for me and for my whole family. I think that over time, I’ll share my self-evaluation in some of my posts. This will help you get to know me better, and will help you to understand the motivation behind some of the topics I choose to write about.

Until then, I leave you with these attached questions to ponder either by yourself, together with your partner, or as a family activity. Let me know what you think.

Values Audit Worksheet

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rachelcarreon
Rachel Carreon grew up in the north suburbs of Chicago and has since lived in Portland, Oregon, Strasbourg, France, and Phoenix, Arizona, but is most proud to call the Rio Grande Valley her home. She works full-time for a national education non-profit as a leadership development consultant, and was formerly a teacher in a k-3 self-contained special education setting. She lives with her husband Robert , their 4 year old son and 2 year old daughter. They also have a blue heeler mix named Huck. Rachel loves cooking for friends and family, running outdoors and all kinds of exercise, and playing outside with her family. Rachel is excited to build community with readers, to share a bit of herself, and to learn from others and their experiences.

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