Values

Hello All,

2020 continues to be overwhelming. Fires continue to ravage the West coast. It is the second most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, behind 2005. It is only the second hurricane season to run out of names (I am still struggling to pronounce Isaias) and feature the Greek alphabet, once again behind 2005. I think we are on target for this season to become number one! It is also the first time I have ever heard of a “zombie storm”. Paulette went from hurricane status to tropical storm to just a storm…..but when she reinvigorated to tropical storm status again, she became a zombie storm. Who knew?

Everyone is hurrying to get this year over. I definitely understand this feeling! At Cracker Barrel you can shop for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas all at the same time. (Does create some impressive efficiencies.) Move over pumpkin spice – Starbucks Christmas blend coffee is already out. Dolly Parton’s Christmas album is now available. Department stores are embracing the holiday spirit!

Sadly, the Just Born Company, makers of my most beloved Peeps, are not putting out Halloween or Christmas Peeps this year. (I was devastated! What will I do without marshmallow ghosts and decorated trees??) So now I am on the hunt for Brach’s new candy corn that tastes like Thanksgiving dinner! I kid you not – the flavors are roasted turkey, stuffing, green beans, ginger carrots, sweet potato pie and cranberry dressing. I have to try it! I hear the cranberry candy corns are good. On a sweeter note, I am also on the hunt for the holiday gingerbread Oreos. (I know you are all screaming in delight. Please though, in light of the continuing pandemic, follow the Japanese request that the leaders made to keep people from screaming on roller coasters,  “Scream inside your heart.” I absolutely love this! It makes me smile every time I think about it.)

2020 has also made me think about how important values are. My internal conversation (yes, I do talk to myself) about this started when I read an article called “Living Your Values” written by Joe Tye, MHA, MBA, in the February 2020 issue of NurseLeader. He started his article this way:

“Last year, for the first time, Fortune Magazine changed the criteria by which they select the 100 best companies to work for. My interpretation of these 6 criteria is that effective leaders: maximize human potential by helping people live their values, creating a culture where trust and innovation can flourish, resulting in financial growth. In that order. It begins with values, which are the invisible architecture of organizational culture.”

Mr. Tye goes on to discuss the importance of values in the workplace. He outlines that one of the greatest dangers is when an organization’s values are not reflected in the attitudes and behaviors in the workplace. The danger when the “organization has become ‘just another place to work” or a “place to get a paycheck”.

Values are also the cornerstone of one’s personal architecture and are what one lives his/her life by.  That got me thinking about when was the last time that I sat down and actually thought about my own values? Shouldn’t I have to reevaluate/reinvigorate mine too, just as Mr. Tye recommends organizations do? Shouldn’t I check in to be sure I am still making sure my values at the forefront of my life? Maybe this also became more important to me because of this crazy year, this crazy election cycle (and I don’t mean just the presidential race). I am also still thinking about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I am sure justice was one of her values.

So I did that very thing. I sat down and listed what the values, the cornerstones of my life are. Service to others/making a difference. Family (and I have a very broad definition of family!) Love. Creativity. Teamwork. Generosity (in spirit, in time, in talent, in things). Kindness. Equality. I try to live by these values every day. I admit I am not successful all of the time. It means I try harder the next day.

When I have been the happiest, both in my personal life and at work, is when I have been able to live these values.

This was a good exercise and reminder for me. I think I need to do this more routinely – an internal check-up, if you will. A reminder of what is important. I needed this in this crazy year – amidst a crazy pandemic – in a world that has been more than a tad topsy-turvy.

Your values won’t be the same as mine. Our differences are what make us all gloriously wonderful human beings. It is what makes our world full of color and hope.

Phyl