Find Your Way Home
Hi friend,
Two years ago today — after a three-year engagement, the procurement of three separate ketubahs, and five COVID-related postponements — I married my husband Zach on what to this date remains the most magical evening of my life.
While there are many spectacular professional photos documenting the occasion, this grainy cellphone shot has always been my favorite photo from the night, as it perfectly captures my emotional state from the entirety of that evening: pure, unbridled joy, love, and delight (replete with a major case of the giggles☺️).
Notably, my emotional state in the months leading up to the wedding could not have been more different.
I'd been subsumed with a variety of stressors which, at the time, SEEMED so important that I'd let them become virtually all-consuming. And to say that it had taken a toll on both my physical and emotional health would be an understatement.
But something miraculous happened the night of the wedding (in addition to me being able to dance — and I mean dance — for five hours straight notwithstanding having been unable to even stand or walk for more than 30 minutes just a few months earlier 💃).
I looked out at the sea of loved ones surrounding me and was struck with the stark realization that none of the things I had nearly made myself sick angsting over in the preceding months had anything to do with the people or things that mattered most to me in the world — all of whom were present with me in that room.
And all I had to do in order to fully tap into the feelings of satisfaction, connection, and security I'd been chasing was recognize that fact and allow myself to be fully present, too.
It's not at all lost on me how easy it is for us (even those of us who literally teach about the importance of values alignment for a living) to lose sight of our values when faced with the pressures and hustle and bustle of daily life.
But we don't need to wait for a wedding or some other momentous occasion to come along for us to take stock and recalibrate.
Instead, it is always possible (and indeed advisable) for us to pause every now and again to remind ourselves of our values, and — in the event we find we've been pulled away from them — to use them as a compass to guide our way back home.
So today, friend, I encourage you to ask yourself:
What is it that you value in your heart of hearts and care most deeply about in this world?
And to what extent are you currently honoring those values and channeling your precious time and energy in a way that furthers them?
I’ve developed a Values Discovery Guide you can use to help you answer these questions and identify concrete action steps you can take to recalibrate in any areas in which you find you’re out of alignment. I hope that it inspires you to take even a tiny step that positions you to experience more unbridled joy, love, and delight of your own (bonus points for giggling ☺️).
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s any way I can support you in this effort. In the meanwhile, know that I am rooting for you.
With love,
Jordana
