Mindset Tools for Creatives - Part 2: Values
As an empowerment photographer & mindset coach, it is integral to keep my own mindset in check so I can show up and do the work for my clients. Over the next few days I am going to be sharing with you my favorite tools that I use to keep on track, focused, and in a relatively positive (or at least resilient) mindset.
Tool 2: Values
Getting clear on my values has helped me immensely in staying focused throughout the day. It’s VERY easy to get distracted by the shiny things everyone else is doing, to react in a way that is “not like me” (but actually is, just maybe a past version of myself), and take on opportunities or tasks that I think will be beneficial (and it turns out they aren’t!). Knowing my values helps me stay focused and clear by being able to say:
"How can I respond to this situation with X value?”
”Would this opportunity help me to live a life from X value?”
”If I bought this thing, would it help me do X more?”
And these are the questions that help me stay focused on MY path and not get distracted by someone else’s . Being that we are on the internet so much these days, it is imperative that we pay attention to our own inner compasses to ensure we don’t waste time travelling towards someone else’s destination! We need to stay in control, in focus, and in charge and by utilizing Values as a tool, you will be able to get there.
Below is a list of values for you to choose from and if you have never done this activity or get overwhelmed by having to choose “just one” I encourage you to start by narrowing it down to your top 10. Then your top 5. Then your top 3 - knowing that you can exist within your top 3-5. I found for me that while I focus on 4, I can technically boil them down to 2. Here are my values:
Curiosity
Compassion
Empathy
Education
However, I believe curiosity LEADS to compassion and education LEADS to empathy - so I could technically say that education and curiosity are my TOP values and the end result I hope for is compassion and empathy OR I could say that my TOP values are compassion & empathy and to get to those values I believe the most efficient way is to act through curiosity and education. So, I just settle with all 4 for now.
How these help me:
Curiosity - I believe by adopting a curious mindset I will always be able to find a solution (even if it isn’t a favourable one), I will rarely feel “stuck”. This is why I ask myself (and encourage others) to ask questions to help them get to the root of what they desire.
Compassion - Compassion is the antidote to shame and judgment. By having compassion, it allows me to make space for the complex feelings I might have towards a person or experience and not feel bad about it, but rather understand that it is just complex and that is okay. I believe curiosity is a form of compassion, in that it allows us to discover and explore instead of staying stuck in the judgy zone.
Empathy - Empathy is important to me because it helps me think of others in addition to myself. It helps me consider the experiences of others and provide space or experiences that foster this idea. As I work on my self growth, my empathic nature has gotten stronger and I work hard to help those who don’t naturally have empathy to understand more about the experiences of other perspectives.
Education - As an educator, of course this is important to me, but beyond it being my chosen career, education has the ability to improve our empathy. By educating ourselves on perspectives and experiences that differ from our own, we are able to broaden our understanding of humanity and therefore, show up in a way that benefits more than just ourselves.
Here are some examples of how these manifest in my daily life:
RESPONDING TO COMMENTS/POSTS ONLINE
When I see a post or comment by someone that is missing empathy or compassion, I will get curious to find out the person’s REAL motive in posting what they did. By seeing where they are coming from, I can then show them compassion for using the tools they have, but provide them with education on why they may want to consider a different perspective. I will also get curious about my OWN reaction to a post and show myself compassion for my initial reaction before I post and then I will consider the impact my unfiltered response might have beyond myself (empathy).
PURCHASING DECISIONS
I love a good purchase from time to time, but a lot of the time it was ego driven more than value driven. Now, when I need to make a purchase I ask myself the questions (curiosity): Will this help me create an experience that will improve my ability to educate clients/myself to be more empathetic/compassionate towards themselves or others? Or by me purchasing it will I be improving the life of someone else?(empathy).
If the answer is NO, then it is not a purchase I need to make. If the answer is YES, then it is that much easier for me to decide!
CREATING CLIENT EXPERIENCES
Even before I was a photographer, the experience people had with me was always front and center. I have always desired to make sure that clients knew they were heard, supported, and had someone who would give them tough love (education, compassion, empathy). This has manifested in creating experiences that go beyond the bare minimum in customer service, thinking of things that the client themselves probably didn’t even think of, and educating people on the ins & outs of a service or product to empower them to make their best buying decision - even if that meant NOT going with me or purchasing the most expensive products. This level of attention makes it easier for clients/customers to feel taken care of, appreciated, and walk away with a positive experience.
SOCIAL MEDIA POSTING/WRITING
Anytime I write a post or tell a story I want it to be educational in some capacity or I want people to feel like they are understood. If I can’t assign a value to the story, then it doesn’t make the cut (right now) OR I will rewrite it in a way that makes sure the outcome is educational, empathetic, compassionate or curious!
This doesn’t mean I get it right every single time, but MOST of the time I try my best to stay focused on these values (compassion). To do this, I post them above my desk, on my door, on my lock screen, and the wallpaper on my computer. This keeps them top of mind.
Use the VALUES list below to find your top values and start thinking of ways you can act through them daily!
