Commitment to Values
My Aunt Lynn was an amazing lady. A musician and artist, she had a flair for assessing all around her and responding with a direct and honest comment. She always made her observations in good humor and there was no guessing what she thought or expected in the moment. She had integrity with herself, and she practiced that value in her choices and relationships.
When I was 14, I spent the better part of the summer with my Aunt Lynn and uncle. They were a blast to be around. There was one caveat to visiting with them—I would practice the piano every day to be prepared for a concert I had in the fall. “Sure thing! I will!” I promised
One afternoon during that summer, we planned a trip to Six Flags Great America, a famed amusement park at the time, for the next day. My adolescent heart pounded fast with excitement as I imagined riding all the rollercoasters and taking in the colorful sights and sounds of fun. The thrill stopped abruptly when Aunt Lynn reminded me of my commitment to practice each day. I hadn’t played yet that day, and I stood before her stunned that she actually expected me to sit and concentrate. How could I focus when my mind was revved up and preoccupied by the promise of tomorrow’s trip to the amusement park? Reluctantly, and with broody teenage disappointment, I went downstairs to the piano and fulfilled my commitment. It was a halfhearted attempt and, in protest, I made some mistakes to voice my dissent. Still, I practiced. Going to bed that night, I felt a little relief that I had done what I said I would.
While my petulant 14-year-old self was mad that she called me out, Aunt Lynn wasn’t wrong. I had made a commitment, and she understood that if I eased up on my practice today it would be easy to avoid practice the next day, and the next, and the next. She knew if I loosened my commitment, it would require double, if not triple, the work to make up for lost time. I am grateful that she was loving enough to help me cultivate some integrity and learn how to show up in the practice of music, and also of life.
Recently, a dear colleague, Dr. Susan Kelenyi, reminded me to “practice peace.” She helped me remember that to create peace in mind and body, I must apply the skill of peace in consistent and practiced ways.
After my conversation with her, I took a close look at what activities and relationships aligned with the value of peace as I define it. As a result, I changed course in some areas of my life and committed more fully to others. Part of that commitment is starting and ending my day outlining how I intend to practice peace. Some of the practice includes watching my thoughts, other times I may choose deliberate action or words, and sometimes, it is just working to create feelings of peace in my surroundings.
Peace is one of my core values. You may have other values that you cherish and want to see more of in your life and the lives around you. Below are some ideas and suggestions for practicing what you value the most each day. As we prepare to enter 2023, may you find inspiration to create more of what matters to you, and may the practice bring you progress towards your highest good.
Exploring Your Values
Take out some writing tools and ponder some of the following questions.
What value do I want to experience more of in my life in 2023?
What would I need to be able to practice that more often?
What thoughts would I need to think to have more of this value in my mind?
What could I do to create that value in my relationships?
What actions would I have to take to increase the experience of this in my daily activities?
How could I share that value to others as well?
With gratitude for 2022 and hope for the New Year!
Sandra
