Trent over at

The Simple Dollar wrote a long series called "31 Days to Fix Your Finances." So far it has been helpful to me, so I'll post my progress on it and see where it takes me.

DAY ONE
"Clearly identify your core values." Since we're supposed to boil it down to 4-6 values, each one I chose carries several levels of significance for me.

Before that, here is what I started out with:

-Love
-Optimism
-Open mind
-True compassion
-Freedom
-Stability
-Forgiveness
-Peace
-Growth

Here is what I whittled that down to:

-True compassion
Particularly after a painful breakup two years ago and a semester in Dharamsala, India studying Buddhist teachings on compassion, I have been deeply preoccupied with how to truly understand someone else's suffering. I want to focus more on others and not settle for feeling pity or indifference. Also, as Thich Nhat Hanh said, true compassion means knowing how to alleviate that person's suffering and taking active steps to do so. I understand compassion then as having velocity--- not simply the intent and understanding, but also forward motion. True compassion implies forgiveness and an open mind so I took those off.

-Trust
I (am trying to) trust that the universe supports me at all times. I want to trust myself to take care of myself and be a good friend to myself, as well as trust that my friends and family will be there for me when I need them. I am learning that it is okay to need. I also want to be strong and receptive, so others can trust me. Trust implies stability and optimism, so I took those out.

-Peace
Peace for me implies a sense of harmony, purpose, patience, and freedom. While there are many kinds of freedom I want, I don't mean to imply a freedom that cuts off all strings. For example, I would like financial freedom and no debt, but rather than live in the woods or marry someone rich, I aim to cultivate a state of mind that finds joy and security despite money and whatever material limitations it has on me. I also want stronger self-esteem, clear focus, and fewer inner demons (don't we all!). Being free to pursue my dreams and helping others to attain this freedom and inner peace is very important to me.

-Growth
Growth implies outward movement and cultivation. When I closed my eyes and tried to imagine when I feel most joyful, I thought of walking briskly back home after a long day of trying my hardest, making concrete steps, and being good to myself and others. While true compassion also implies growth, I wanted to clearly focus on the wider implications of the word "growth," mainly the other ways it can manifest and a sense of direction. Growth means staying grounded and nurturing your roots while reaching for the skies. It entails having an open mind.

And that's it. Why did I take out love? If I could boil everything down to one value, it would be love, but the word itself implies too much to get a clear grasp on. By breaking it down to a few values, I have a better sense of what facets are particularly significant to me right now.

Next time, I will clearly define my goals, financial and otherwise, and ask myself, "do my goals align with my core values?"

If you are interested in doing this yourself, I suggest following the series on The Simple Dollar website itself rather than just my blog. Either way, let me know!