The Values Audit: A Framework for Aligning Your Life with What Matters Most
Reclaiming Your Energy, Purpose, and Joy by Living in Alignment with Your Core Values
TLDR: If you feel drained or unfulfilled despite having a “good” life, you may be out of alignment with your core values. This guide introduces a simple framework—the Values Audit—to help you identify what truly matters to you and make small, intentional changes that bring your daily life into alignment with those values. When your actions match your priorities, your energy, clarity, and fulfillment increase dramatically.
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Have you ever felt like something is "off" in your life, but can't exactly name what it is? Maybe you have a good job, nice friends, and things look fine on the outside. But inside, you feel empty or tired a lot.
I've been there. I once had everything I thought I wanted - the career, the income, the busy schedule. People saw me as successful. But most days, I felt like I was just going through the motions. Something was missing, but I couldn't put my finger on it.
The truth is, many of us live lives that don't match what we truly care about. We chase goals without stopping to ask if they really matter to us. We say yes to things that don't bring us joy. We spend our limited time on stuff that doesn't feel important when we look back on our day.
Living out of alignment with your values costs more than you might think. It's not just about feeling a bit unhappy sometimes.
When you live a life that doesn't match what truly matters to you, your energy drains away. You might notice:
You feel tired even after a full night's sleep
Small problems feel like huge deals
You get sick more often
You snap at people you care about
You need more and more time to recover from your week
You feel jealous of others who seem to love their lives
Over time, this gap between what you do and what you value can lead to burnout. That's when you feel completely empty, like your battery is at zero and won't charge anymore.
The biggest cost isn't just today's unhappiness - it's waking up years from now and realizing you spent your precious life energy on things that were never important to you in the first place.
What if you could live differently? What if your daily life could be filled with things that actually matter to you?
The good news is that you already have a built-in compass for making better choices. Your values - the things that truly matter to you - can guide your decisions big and small.
Values aren't about what you think you should care about. They're about what truly lights you up inside. They're different for everyone. Some people value adventure and trying new things. Others value deep connections with a few close people. Some value creating beautiful things, while others value solving hard problems.
There's no right or wrong set of values. The only "wrong" is not knowing your own values and letting others decide what should matter to you.
[Note: Insert a personal story here about a time when you realized you were living out of alignment with your values, and how identifying a core value helped you make a change. Keep it simple and focus on the before/after feeling.]
When you know your true values, decisions become clearer. You can check each choice against what matters most to you. You can say no to things that don't align, even if they look good on paper. And you can say yes to things that might seem strange to others but feel right to you.
Here's a simple, step-by-step process to discover your values and start living in alignment with them:
Step 1: Discover Your Core Values
Set aside 30 minutes when you won't be interrupted. Grab a piece of paper and answer these questions:
When have you felt most alive and happy? What were you doing? Who were you with?
What makes you lose track of time because you enjoy it so much?
What would you do with your time if money was no object?
What topics make you talk with your hands because you get so excited?
Who do you admire, and what qualities do you admire about them?
Look at your answers and circle words that show up more than once. Notice any patterns. These are clues to your core values.
Now, try to narrow down to 3-5 core values. Here are some common ones, but feel free to use your own words:
Freedom
Connection
Creativity
Growth
Service
Adventure
Security
Honesty
Peace
Achievement
Step 2: Check Your Current Alignment
For each main area of your life (work, relationships, free time, home), ask:
Does this area let me live by my values?
Where is there a gap between what I value and what I'm doing?
What small change would bring this area more in line with my values?
For example, if you value creativity but your job gives you zero chance to create, that's a misalignment. If you value connection but spend all your free time scrolling on your phone alone, that's a gap to fix.
Step 3: Plan Your Realignments
Start small. Pick one area with a gap and think of one tiny step to bring it more in line with your values.
For example:
If you value growth but aren't learning anything new, you might set aside 15 minutes each morning to read or listen to a podcast.
If you value connection but work alone all day, you might join one club or plan one coffee date each week.
If you value peace but your schedule is packed, you might block off one evening a week as "no plans" time.
The key is to start so small that it feels easy. You can build from there.
Take a moment to think about your own life right now:
When was the last time you felt completely alive and in your element? What were you doing? Who were you with? How did it feel in your body?
Now think about a time when you felt drained, resentful, or just "off." What values might have been stepped on in that situation? What would have made it better?
Many people find that their values have been hiding in plain sight all along. The activities that energize you, the people you admire, the things you naturally gravitate toward - these are all clues about what matters most to you.
For example, if you love helping others solve problems, service might be one of your core values. If you crave new experiences and get bored with routine, adventure might be key for you.
Your values are unique to you. Your friend might value stability while you value change. Your family might value tradition while you value innovation. There's no right or wrong - just what's true for you.
Today, start your values audit with this simple exercise:
Take 10 minutes to write down 3-5 moments when you felt most alive, happy, and fulfilled.
For each moment, write a few words about what made it special. Was it the people? The challenge? The freedom? The chance to help others?
Look for patterns. Circle words that appear more than once. These are clues to your core values.
Pick just ONE value that stands out to you right now.
Ask yourself: "What's one small way I could honor this value more tomorrow?" Choose something so simple you can't say no - even just 5 minutes of alignment counts!
Remember, this isn't about completely changing your life overnight. It's about small steps that bring you more in tune with what matters to you. Over time, these small alignments add up to a life that feels like yours - not someone else's idea of what your life should be.
Your values will guide you if you listen. Start today with just one small step toward alignment, and notice how different it feels to live with intention rather than by default.
Diego