Are You Living According to Your Values? How Yoga and Modern Psychology Can Help You Realign
This is the July update of the Start Strong, Stay Strong program.
Have you ever felt like life is moving fast, but you're not quite heading in the direction you hoped? Maybe you’re ticking off tasks, handling responsibilities, and staying “busy”… but somewhere deep inside, there’s a quiet nudge asking:
Is this really how I want to live?
This feeling is more common than we admit. We often lose touch with the things that truly matter to us — our values — in the rush of daily life. But what if you could pause, take stock, and gently realign?
This is your invitation to do just that.
Using insights from modern psychology and the wisdom of yoga, we’ll explore simple ways to reconnect with your values — and take small, meaningful steps to live them more fully.
What Really Matters to You?
We all have values — guiding principles that reflect what matters most. They might include things like connection, kindness, learning, courage, or calm. But we rarely pause to name them, let alone check if they’re showing up in how we live.
🧘♀️ Try this:
Take a few quiet minutes and ask yourself:
“What kind of person do I want to be, even when life is messy?”
“What do I want to stand for?”
“If I looked back on this year, what would I hope I lived more of?”
Jot down 2–3 words or phrases that stand out. These are likely some of your core values.
Are Those Values Present in Your Life Right Now?
It’s one thing to know what matters to us… but another to actually live it. Sometimes our days fill up with habits, distractions, or pressures that pull us off course. That’s normal — and it’s something we can gently shift.
📓 Simple self-check:
Take your list of values and ask yourself:
- On a scale from 1 to 5, how present is each value in your life right now?
No guilt here — just awareness. This step is like a gentle compass reset.
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What Gets in the Way?
Often, the moment we try to move toward something meaningful — like more honesty, love, or creativity — something uncomfortable shows up. Maybe it’s self-doubt, fear of failure, or the feeling that we’re not “ready.”
Modern psychology teaches us that this is completely normal. In fact, uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and even pain often show up when we’re about to do something important.
🧘♀️ Yoga teaches us the same: In a challenging pose, the body may resist. But instead of forcing or avoiding, we stay present. We breathe. We stay kind.
💭 Reflection:
- “One thing I care about but often avoid is ___, because I tend to feel ___ when I try.”
This isn’t about pushing discomfort away — it’s about noticing it, making space for it, and acting anyway.
"Discomfort is the price of admission for a meaningful life." - Dr. Susan David
One Small Step Toward What Matters
You don’t need a life overhaul to live your values. One small, consistent action — repeated — is enough to realign your path.
🧘♀️ Your invitation:
- “This week, I will take one small action that reflects my value of ___ by ___.”
Examples:
If your value is calm, maybe you’ll try a Yogaia's yoga nidra class in the evening.
If it’s courage, perhaps you’ll speak up in a conversation that matters.
If it’s compassion, you might set a Sankalpa — a heartfelt intention — like: “I treat myself with kindness, even when I feel I’ve fallen behind.” Then, let it guide one small action — like taking a slow, nurturing movement class or writing yourself a kind note.
The important thing is not the size of the action — but the intention behind it.
In both yoga and life, we don’t aim for perfection. We aim for presence. And when we drift — as we all do — we gently return.
Whether you return through breath, movement, reflection, or simply a quiet moment of awareness, each return is a victory.
You already have everything you need to live a more aligned, values-driven life. You just need space to remember it — and commitment to take small actions.
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” - Viktor E. Frankl
🌿 Ready to Realign?
This month, explore classes that support your values — whether it's mindfulness, self-compassion, strength, or energy. You might also want to try journaling to help clarify your values and track your progress.
And remember: you’re not behind, and you’re not doing it wrong. Every small step is part of the journey.