Valued action for January 2024

Something that’s important to me is valued action: being committed to aligning my actions with values. It’s a way to be a better human for myself and for the humans around me. In part, by having more energy, more space, more peace.

Here’s what I’ll be concentrating on in 2024. This is an updated and expansion of Vowlued action: Valued action / vow remix.

In one word

Kindness.

In one short sentence

I will act to increase kindness in the world.

In one long sentence

I will act to increase kindness in the world, in myself and in the people around me, particularly in difficult situations.

In four values

• Relaxed. Something like: Welcoming, Tentative, Patient, Connected, Content.
• Open. Something like: Inclusive, Flexible, Positive, Inclusive, Spacious, Tentative, Curious.
• Clear. Something like: Focused, Attentive, Obvious, Simple, Concise.
• Kind. Something like: Empathetic, Generous, Supportive, Forgiving, Gentle.

As an individual, and as part of a collective. In the interior and in the exterior.

In messy word bundles

What helps with embodying each value?

• Relaxed. Slow your tempo. Wait a little. Yield, get underneath. Accept the invitation to rest. Rest in this and not-this. Curb your ambition. Don’t push, don’t pull. Just leave everything in its place.
• Open. Acceptance, let go. Give everything a warm welcome. No separation, no rejection. Don’t add anything. Focus on what connects, not what divides. Everything is allowed, even resistance.
• Clear. See the bigger, more inclusive, picture. Learn, iterate in spirals. Pay more attention, be more interested in what’s happening. The ocean, not the waves. The sky, not the clouds. The context of consciousness, not the contents. See the spectrum, not the binary. The self is causes, conditions, patterns. Imperfections are normal, natural, human.
• Kind. Give Benefits, freely and easily. Begin Again. Be forgiving, even to yourself. See the paths of least resistance. Listen with lovingkindess. Be the coach not the critic. Reframe. Do regular Metta practice.

In arrows ↓↑→←

• Relaxed. Slow down.
• Open. Open up.
• Clear. Widen out.
• Kind. Bring in.

Added 2023-12-31, last updated 2024-01-01.