Make Your Choice . . . but choose wisely

I am still thinking about values. If someone said, "Jason, do you value physical health?" I would say, "yes!" But how would I defend myself? Well, I don't smoke; I am not overweight; I don't eat too much junk food nor drink too much pop; I am not experiencing any pain or other symptoms of disease. Isn't that an interesting way of defending my supposed value? The evidence of what I value is found in what I don't do. You know why? Because when I look at what I do, I am not sure I truly value physical health. I think that if I truly valued physical health I would exercise or do something active. Mowing the lawn is the only extended physical activity in which I engage. And that is once per week for 7 months- not exactly an exercise regimen.

You know, I regularly think to myself, "I should go downstairs and exercise." I have a great exercise machine in the basement, and it sits in front of a big television. But I don't. In the moment, instead of choosing exercise, I choose rest, vegging out, or, to be really honest, comfort!

So here is what I am learning about values: I can make a list a mile long of my values. But then comes the hard part: putting that list in order. Every decision is a choice between two (or more) values. One will win. How often does that value beat out the other values? I have to be honest; I value comfort more than I value exercise. Ouch. Saying it out loud and typing it for the whole world to see is not easy. But it is true. So for every value I claim to live by, I have to ask myself if there is something I value more than that.

So what do you really value? Which values are at the top of the list? Stop talking about what you value. Talk about what you value more.

Your life is the result of your choices, which are values-choices; so your life is the result of your values.