Wellbeing: Aligning with your values

Founder’s Introduction

Living a life filled with purpose and happiness does not happen by chance, it’s an ongoing project, and probably the most important one we will ever undertake.

Achieving fulfilment requires effort and commitment, just like managing any successful project. It starts with a vision, continues with clear goals and involves taking consistent (small) steps toward a meaningful life.

Hollow Head Threads is passionate about guiding you on this continual journey. That’s why we’ve partnered with Nick Hall, The Sales Life Coach, to bring you a series of actionable articles on foundational topics like values, purpose and fulfilment. Having had the pleasure of working with Nick through my own transformation, I am confident that these bite-sized blogs will hold some value to all but a few of you. 

In this first piece, Nick explores the role of values in creating a fulfilling life - how to identify yours, assess alignment and take steps toward realigning your life with what truly matters.

Oh, and take the test. My five core values were different than I thought!

~ James.

Aligning with your Values ~ By Nick Hall

Our values can help us navigate the world. They can give us direction, leading us toward experiences we enjoy and away from those that don’t serve us, but only if we’re tuned into them. When ignored, we can struggle to find meaning, purpose, and fulfilment.  

Whilst values may seem like a fixed part of who we are, they actually evolve over time. If we don’t recognise these shifts and reorganise our life accordingly, we can experience conflict, stress and unhappiness - often without knowing why.

Think about your own life. 

In your 20s, you might have valued freedom and adventure, exploring the world and living spontaneously. Now, with changing priorities, financial security, family or growth matter more to you.

Living out of alignment with our values is like constantly running on a treadmill - it’s exhausting, unfulfilling and going nowhere. The longer this misalignment continues, the deeper the feelings of resentment, frustration and burnout become.

However, when your life is aligned with your values, you become the fullest, most authentic expression of yourself. This alignment is not just about finding happiness, it’s about discovering your purpose and building a meaningful legacy.

Before you can move towards a life full of purpose, you need to know your values and understand whether you are living in alignment with them or not. 

Take a few moments to reflect on what truly matters to you. Think about the moments when you felt happiest, most fulfilled, and at peace.

What values were you expressing in those moments?

• Watching a film with your family? → Family, fun, peace.
• Rock climbing or competing in triathlons? → Adventure, challenge, excitement.
• Learning something new or pursuing a passion project? → Curiosity, growth, success.

Personal Task

Write down 3-4 values that feel non-negotiable to you. Update the table below with your own values across the top. Don’t choose what you think your values should be, choose what they truly are.

Now, think about the key areas of your life - your partner, career, family, finances and free time. Score each area from 1 to 10 for how well it aligns with your core values.

If you’re struggling to define or prioritise your values, there’s a free 5-10 min test that you can take on the following external link: www.personalvalu.es  

In this example, it is clear that free time and their relationship are well-aligned with their values, while career and finances are not. This misalignment is likely to be a source of stress and dissatisfaction.

Once you have identified the areas of misalignment, consider how you can bring them closer to your values.

• Could you pursue a career that excites you or aligns with your passions?
• Could you set financial goals that bring you peace of mind?

As Carl Jung said:
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.”

Becoming aware of your values is the first step toward living a life of purpose and clarity.

Take 10 minutes today to write down your values and assess your alignment.

The stress and dissatisfaction you feel may simply be misalignment - and the key to unlocking a life you love could be just a few steps away.

Need some help?

Email us at info@hollowheadthreads.com if you have any initial questions.
For more insights and guidance on living a meaningful and purposeful life, Nick posts every weekday on LinkedIn. You can follow him here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-hall-coach/ 

Nick also offers a free 45 minute consultation to discuss his 1:1 coaching; where you’ll learn how to create a life you love: https://calendly.com/nick-hall-coach/45-min-consultation-call-free