VALUES - What we think we value (Thoughts) vs. what our actions show (Reality)
What are the most important things in your life right now?
What speaks louder: Words or Actions?
Which one do you think has more weight?
Think about it from this perspective. We may say that something is important, but if our actions aren’t supporting our words, they hold less weight to indicate that they are important.
When we say we value something but act differently, it creates a sense of contradiction and hypocrisy.
Can we trust someone who says one thing but does another? This is the contradiction we may face if our perceived values do not align with our actions.
Could this contradiction apply to you? (This is a rhetorical question. The answer is yes.)
Let's explore the topic of 'Values: Thoughts vs. Reality' and understand how it impacts our lives.
Part 1 - Reflection
To get us started, here is today’s reflection question:
What are the most important things in your life right now?
Insight & Perspective
Watch the video below for our first insight and to gain a perspective about Values: Thoughts vs. Reality.
Video Text
This week's insights into Values will focus on the distinction between our thoughts and reality. Specifically, we will discuss the difference between the values we believe are important to us and those we demonstrate in our lives.
We may think that values such as Freedom, Autonomy, Family, or Independence are important. However, our actions can speak louder than our words (or thoughts).
Consider this: Are our actions reflecting what we say we value? Even if we dedicate time to what we believe are our values, is our full attention on them? Are we genuinely engaged? Or are we distracted by other priorities that contradict what we’re thinking?
By examining the difference between thoughts and reality, we can become more aware and better align our intentions with our actions.
Our behaviors and actions can reveal a lot about us, particularly whether our words and actions align with each other or contradict one another.
If the difference between what we say and do contradict each other, it creates a gap that we need to learn to reduce to live a more aligned and meaningful life.
In Part 2, let's explore four categories that can help us analyze this gap between our words and actions.