Parallel Lives
Posted by Jackie Gaston
I sometimes think that I have literally lead parallel lives. At least I have lived on two different parallels. Austin, TX is just north of the 30th Parallel and I've lived in far, far South Austin. I lived in Boulder, Colorado and one of the main streets there is called Baseline Road. It gets that name because it runs along the 40th Parallel. Of the two, I have to say the 30th is a much better fit for me. It gets so hot here that we stay inside all day about 4 months of the year and I much prefer that to having to put on three layers of clothes and snow boots just to go to the mailbox or take out the trash. It short, I'm a warm weather woman and I know it.
A warm climate is one of my core values when it comes down to things I want in my life. The other things I really have to have to be happy are a like minded community of friends to spend time with, live music, and easy access to the things I want and need.
I haven't always known this about myself. In fact, it wasn't until I unwittingly deprived myself of all of them that I realized how much value I place on them. That's a hard way to find out how much something means to you. I've decided that there has to be an easier way. I believe that there is and that it's pretty simple. When you feel joy while doing something, it's of high value to you. When you feel relief while having an experience that you haven't had in quite a while, it's a high value to you. When you really miss doing something because it's been weeks since the last time you did it, it's a high value experience for you.
High value experiences change for us over time. We don't place the same value on an experience we loved in our twenties as we place on that same experience in our forties. However, there are some things that we continue to value for long periods of our lives, if not all of our lives. These are our core value experiences. They are the things that make our lives worth living. Among these experiences for most of us are finding and maintaining romantic relationships, relationships with our children, financial security, etc. Then there are the core values that make us unique. I have loved live music all of my life even though I experienced very little of it until I was a adult. Some people are drawn to art, sports or other 'non-essential' experiences. I now feel that it is extremely important to know what your core values are when it comes to making a fulfilling life for yourself. Otherwise, you just go through life taking things for granted and often wondering why you aren't as happy and fulfilled as you want to be.
It is also possible to think something is a high value experience for us when it is really just a quick fix for something else. These are a little tough to figure out on our own because they are usually the result of a decision we made long ago that has now become such a pattern in our lives that we don't realize that we are choosing it. A big part of my work is identifying the underlying thought beneath such patterns so that your true core value experiences can be identified leading to a happier life for you.
Posted by Jackie Gaston
I sometimes think that I have literally lead parallel lives. At least I have lived on two different parallels. Austin, TX is just north of the 30th Parallel and I've lived in far, far South Austin. I lived in Boulder, Colorado and one of the main streets there is called Baseline Road. It gets that name because it runs along the 40th Parallel. Of the two, I have to say the 30th is a much better fit for me. It gets so hot here that we stay inside all day about 4 months of the year and I much prefer that to having to put on three layers of clothes and snow boots just to go to the mailbox or take out the trash. It short, I'm a warm weather woman and I know it.
A warm climate is one of my core values when it comes down to things I want in my life. The other things I really have to have to be happy are a like minded community of friends to spend time with, live music, and easy access to the things I want and need.
I haven't always known this about myself. In fact, it wasn't until I unwittingly deprived myself of all of them that I realized how much value I place on them. That's a hard way to find out how much something means to you. I've decided that there has to be an easier way. I believe that there is and that it's pretty simple. When you feel joy while doing something, it's of high value to you. When you feel relief while having an experience that you haven't had in quite a while, it's a high value to you. When you really miss doing something because it's been weeks since the last time you did it, it's a high value experience for you.
High value experiences change for us over time. We don't place the same value on an experience we loved in our twenties as we place on that same experience in our forties. However, there are some things that we continue to value for long periods of our lives, if not all of our lives. These are our core value experiences. They are the things that make our lives worth living. Among these experiences for most of us are finding and maintaining romantic relationships, relationships with our children, financial security, etc. Then there are the core values that make us unique. I have loved live music all of my life even though I experienced very little of it until I was a adult. Some people are drawn to art, sports or other 'non-essential' experiences. I now feel that it is extremely important to know what your core values are when it comes to making a fulfilling life for yourself. Otherwise, you just go through life taking things for granted and often wondering why you aren't as happy and fulfilled as you want to be.
It is also possible to think something is a high value experience for us when it is really just a quick fix for something else. These are a little tough to figure out on our own because they are usually the result of a decision we made long ago that has now become such a pattern in our lives that we don't realize that we are choosing it. A big part of my work is identifying the underlying thought beneath such patterns so that your true core value experiences can be identified leading to a happier life for you.
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