Did you know that we make about 35,000 decisions a day? That comes out to 2,000 decisions every waking hour, or about one every two seconds. From whether or not to hit the snooze button, to what shade of blue to use in a painting, all of our little decisions add up. Many are insignificant, but overall, our decisions turn out to be a reflection of our values.
That’s why I think it’s so important to sit down and think about what you cherish in life. Our values guide our decisions. That means our values guide our actions.
What do you value? What values guide your decisions?
As I examine those questions, it’s been fun to “look at” my actions from a third person perspective and see what my actions are telling me about my values. It has also been helpful when working with others, recognizing that others’ values don’t necessarily align with my values, and that is okay.
When I began this journey, I kept noticing one value that I became skeptical of. Beauty. The kind of beauty society boils down to something superficial. Superficial beauty isn’t something I care to hold near to my heart.
What is beauty to you? I decided to make a conscious effort to embrace not superficial beauty, but deeply rooted beauty. The beauty rooted in nature, the pallet God used to create the ocean, the mountains, the trees, flowers and sky. The kind of beauty that causes me to audibly gasp when in the middle of it. The kind of beauty that even compels me to interrupt others mid-sentence to call attention to it. “Look at the sky!” or, “That tree has the most beautiful branches…”
When I am in touch with that kind of deeply rooted beauty, I find that I also see more beauty inside of others. I’m quicker to see their light shining through, not unlike the light of a beautiful sun ray peeking through a tree’s branches. Seeing beauty within those around me inspires my art just as much as a striking scene in nature does. When I paint, it’s my way of sharing the beauty I see with others.
What values are you holding close to your heart? What do your 35,000 decisions a day say about your values? I look forward to learning and noticing where the things that inspire you show themselves in the world, in your actions, and in the beauty that you choose to share.
If you're interested in pursuing these questions further, consider attending one of the workshops I'm holding on the topic Learning & Aligning Your Values Through A Creative Process with Jenn Garcia. The workshops are at Whole Point on MacDill Avenue February 11th (10am) and February 20th (6:30pm). To learn more about these workshops, click here.