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The other day I was over at The Garden Sanctuary reading Liz’s post Living Your Values Part 1. She left a bit of homework on there for folks. She suggested observing what the values in your life were by observing what you have in your home that you love. She says about a course she had taken:

I was asked to look at the things in my life that mattered to me and to write them down… Looking at that list, you can see my values as you read my words. Values are your fundamental beliefs. They are your guiding force. Your reason to be.

Now I’m not sure I understand this exactly, but I found it very enlightening (even if I didn’t do it exactly right). So her task for the day was:

  1. Find 10 minutes to yourself in a safe space. Light a candle.  Play soft music if it induces a calm atmosphere. Lock yourself away. Feel the peace surrounding you.
  2. Take your journal and in it write a list of 20 things that make you happy.
  3. Reflect on what these items symbolize to you.

And I’ve got to say I found it a really interesting little exercise. I was surprised by a few things. Like how many of the things on my list made me feel some kind of connection to the past. Not just MY past, put even WAY past. I found I had left behind my strong need to surround myself with warmth, candle light, quiet music (music didn’t even make my list, oddly). I used to close myself off in my “morning room/library” and bask in that ambiance. Not so much anymore. And there seems to be a need for stimulation and escapism in my life right now. I can see I will be turning this over in my mind for awhile.

Here’s my list and what the things seemed to mean for me:

Stacks of books in most rooms —  knowledge, adventure, escape
Scented candles — serenity, relaxation, release
Old-fashioned wall clock in the living room — connection to the past, boundaries
Fleece throws — warmth, emotional security
Shawls — connection to the past, warmth, security
Desk — dreams
Different textures in our bedroom (metal, baskets, bamboo, etc.) — creativity
baskets — nature, creativity, boundaries
Coffee mugs/Tea pot — connection to past, tranquility, introspection
Charles Wysocki picture of “Her Captain’s Wistful Letter” — connection to the past, unfulfilled longing, escape
Sea shells — longing, escape
Shelves of books — surrounded by friends, knowledge, escape
Writing supplies in a basket — portal to adventures, release, reflection, escape
Dragonflies — imagination, possibility, dreams, escape
Hand-made doilies — connection to past, creativity
Bookshelf from our old church — sacred, connection to the past
Family pictures — my anchor, grounding
Leaf decorations — grounding
Journals — connection to MY past
My dad’s bells hanging by the stairway — my ancestors, connection to the past

The other thing that surprised me about my list was there wasn’t one thing on there from our TV room in the basement (we live in a bi-level). I guess that explains why I’m hardly ever down there!

09subpeabody1-master67568a8d7ce34e4914aef4904367d97b894So I’ve come to the conclusion that what I really need in my life right now is my own personal WAYBACK MACHINE! You know, like Mr. Peabody and Sherman’s from Rocky and Bullwinkle had? Or I suppose a TARDIS would work, too, if you happen to be a Dr. Who fan. 😀 Maybe it’s about time for me to get the heck out of Dodge and go have an adventure! 😀

Liz’s little exercise was enjoyable AND eye-opening. I highly recommend playing with it! If you DO happen to do a post about it, please leave a comment here so I can come and read!!!

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Picture Credits:
Values — richardbarrettblog.net
Wayback Machine — www.nytimes.com
Tardis — www.pinterest.com