We have all at one point or another felt that something isn’t right. That strange feeling that tells us to take a step back or to be careful or to stop and re-look. We might call it gut instinct or just something that does not sit right with us. When that happens, what do we do? Most of the time we will :
- Stop and check. We will stop what we are doing and check to see if we have done it right. For example, when we are writing a report and when we feel that something is not “right”, we will stop and check the facts or re-read what was written. More often than not, we will spot the error, correct it and move on.
- Be cautious or be more careful. When we sense that something isn’t “right”, we will naturally be more cautious, more aware of what’s going on around us and take a more careful approach. For example, if we are walking on a quiet street, we will heighten our senses and be aware of what’s around us and take precautions.
These are all natural defense mechanism that we have. What would you do if you feel that something is not feeling “right” when it comes to your work or life in general? What do you do when you feel that you are missing something? Have you ever felt like there is something missing in what you are doing? Something that you can’t quite get your finger on. In this scenario, I would suggest the following:
- Reflect on your values: You can take a quick look at your values. List down your top 10 values. Based on that list, reflect on where you are today and what you are doing and whether it is aligned with the value list.
- Review your life purpose: Go back to what your life purpose is. Stop and pause and see if what you are doing aligns with your life purpose. Now you may ask “What is my life purpose?” How can I align with something that I don’t even know the answer to? That could be a challenge. I would suggest that you spend some time thinking about this. List down what you enjoy or are good at, your strengths and your inner desires. Patterns may appear for you to connect the dots and you might be able to discover what your purpose is. Now summarise it into 2 words and see how that feels and whether it resonates with you.
Once you have establish these 2 key areas, you can then align where you are today based on those 2 parameters. Most of us will struggle with coming up with our values and life purpose, however, I would encourage you to make the effort. This will give you clarity on the “why” and “how” we do what we do. It will also provide you with the ability to check your alignment when something does not feel “right”. Just like the wheels of our car, if we find that the car is veering slightly to one direction, we know that there is something wrong with the wheel alignment. We take the car and get it aligned. For our lives, the alignment is towards what our values and life purpose are. There is nothing worse than going through day by day struggling and not enjoying what we are doing. The hard part is being honest with yourself and then making the necessary adjustments. Check your alignment at least once a year just like servicing your car to ensure that you are on track and working towards a desired outcome. You will enjoy what you do, be fulfilled with who you are and bring happiness to those around you when you are aligned with you values and life purpose. Live life in alignment.
Lisa Lam : Coach | Trainer | Consultant 