Our values are guides that serve as our moral compass to provide us direction on how we should live our lives. Living our values demonstrates the essence of who we are as human beings. Values influence our attitudes and behaviors; and they help us prioritize those elements in life that we believe are most important. When we align our actions and behaviors with our values, we are our authentic selves and in the best state of mind to positively impact the lives of those around us.

Each day we experience and respond to some 9,000 stimuli in one form or another. While we are not always aware of both the stimulus and subsequent response, usually upon reflection we can recall quite a few. And sometimes upon reflection we wish we had not made the choices we had and responded the way we did. The opportunity is to raise our awareness of when the stimulus is occurring, and to pause long enough to make a conscious choice in how we respond. A choice that aligns with our personal core values to ensure it best represents the essence of who we are—of the person we want the world around us to experience. And typically when we align our choices with our values, the impact on those around us is positive, inspiring them to do the same when the opportunity presents itself.