Mickey Fitch’s previous post, “What Do You Value?” got my wheels spinning.
I can’t say it was the only thing, as I have been dwelling quite a bit lately on the idea of living in congruence with my values, using my time to advance the causes I care about, and setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-Limited) to help me reach them.
Since it was Earth Day, I also spent time thinking today about how I integrate my values with my lifestyle and how I take care of the Earth, as well as myself.
When I was a peer educator at Clemson, we had giveaway buttons and materials that said “Do what you value!” An interesting turn of phrase. And in that context, it was about sexual decision-making. But doing what you value is a powerful idea that should carry over into your everyday life and your work.
Here are some ways I am trying to live up to my own expectations.
- Living in a LEED certified new-construction green home in a transitional neighborhood.
- Driving a hybrid car (Prius). It gives me great satisfaction to know that most of my stops at the gas station are for snacks.
- Gardening only by organic methods, and composting when I can (I need to get a new composter, as I left the old one in PA, but soon enough we’ll get one.
- Spending my money locally whenever possible and avoiding chain restaurants in favor of local cuisine…It was easy in State College, and is becoming easier in Athens!
- I only take what I want at dinner, and unless it was undercooked and gross, I eat all of it.
- By stopping at having two children (in the interest of Zero Population Growth).
I also believe in volunteering, and as I build my client base for the coaching practice, I’ve been seeking out volunteer opportunities that I would like, and using them to get connected here in Athens and back in Clemson. Last week it was a 5K race for Ovarian Cancer Research, coupled with a butterfly release that raised money for the daughter of a high school friend who died recently after a 13-year battle. I am also volunteering for the AthFest Half-Marathon and getting involved in other Athfest committees and projects. I met today with a rep from Nuçi’s Space, a musician’s resource center, and I’ll be developing some presentations on career skills for the talented musicians who come into the center looking for a place to practice, to connect with other music types and to get referrals for medical care and counseling. I may soon begin doing free career counseling at Nuçi’s, in the forms of workshops and 1-on-1 coaching. I will explain more of the opportunities soon enough in other articles.
Why am I doing this? Because I love art and music. Because I somehow managed to get pulled in to race planning again because I have done it before. But most of all, I am doing these things because I value them and they make sense.
How do you live your values?
Sean Cook is a Life Purpose and Career Coach, based in Athens, GA. He specializes in work with college students and higher ed professionals. Before becoming a certified coach through the Life Purpose Institute, he earned his BA in Political Science and his M.Ed. in Counseling & Guidance Services from Clemson University, and spent over 15 years working full-time as a student affairs professional.
