The Best Way to Live In Alignment With Your Values

It’s time to own your power and watch your garden grow

If we are to go forward, we must go back and rediscover those precious values — that all reality hinges on moral foundations and that all reality has spiritual control.~Martin Luther King, Jr.

I respect planet Earth as our current home. Humans are trashing the place. I feel like a tidal wave of plastic keeps coming at me, and I’m powerless to stop it. Then I buy plastic-wrapped food because I’m tired and broke. It’s a maddening, vicious cycle.

I feel overwhelmed with sadness and a little guilty for not taking affirmative action. Consumers hold power. If we stop buying plastic, the merchants will stop offering it. Oh, how I wish it were that simple. But isn’t it? We need to stop doing what we’re doing to stop getting what we’re getting. So why does it feel like such a complex problem?

I went to a conventional supermarket the other day for some fresh, organic produce. They typically have loose veggies. Their organic section appeared smaller than before, and they had packed most of them in plastic. I started to cry. It already took all of our energy to get inside. My oldest child was upset and had refused to leave the car when she started crying. She doesn’t like anyone to see her tears.

I saw a large display of nonorganic loose produce. I mostly buy only the broccoli there, but this time I got a package of strawberries for $2.99 and a big bin of spinach for $5. I know, why choose plastic containers? But when we’re living on a fixed income, it’s what had to happen for the moment. I was distracted by my kids’ emotions. I make daily hard calls that grate against my values.

I walked out of the store, determined to make a change. I can’t shop there anymore. I’ll grow my food. We have a small strip of dirt on our common pathway. My next-door neighbor said a former resident grew a garden in that spot. I’ll plant veggies for everyone.

What can we do about our incongruences when we feel powerless to change them?

Check in with yourself

What feels right in your heart? How do you align with your values? You’re not helpless. You’re allowed to drop whatever isn’t working. Bravely step outside of your comfort zone. I checked in at the supermarket and felt compelled to make some drastic changes. But I’ll need to take baby steps.

It’s ok to gradually add one new thing at a time to move toward your ideal. Like me, you might buy less plastic for now until you source from the ground. It takes time to grow food. Be gentle yet firm with yourself. Acknowledge the desired changes. At least you honor your values by becoming aware.

Slowly and steadily change your habits

Take one small step. Then continue to walk in the direction of authenticity. Start by skipping one plastic-wrapped item. If you want to grow your food, buy seedlings for your window sill or a patch of dirt in your yard.

I plan to buy fruits and veggies from the farmers market. Shopping local helps support the farmer and reduce plastic consumption. The cost isn’t much more and will benefit everyone in the long run.

Keep it simple and watch yourself grow

If you intend to plant a garden, start with what can grow in the area. All it takes is one plant to provide for an entire neighborhood. Consider the implications. We can connect with our community and create abundance for everyone.

Pick up trash on your street for 10 minutes. Don’t bring things into your house that can’t be cherished, reused or repurposed. Do anything to align with your truth. All of it makes a difference.

Ask for help

We’re a global community. Let’s stop buying into the illusion of separateness. There are people around to help make it happen. I plan to dig into our rock bed to plant a bigger garden. It’ll take a lot of work. I’m willing to call on others to do it with me. I’m fiercely independent. I often forget we’re a collective. We’re on the same team.

We’re not encouraged to ask for help in US culture. Many times we’re told we have to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. It’s up to us to succeed. Well, it’s a fallacy to believe we do it alone. We always have someone by our side to aid us in our accomplishments. We don’t have to try so hard. Ask anyone who will listen. The handyman working on an adjacent apartment helped me unscrew my old license plate when we moved here. He attached the new one for me, too.

It’s ok to ask for help.

Create boundaries and stick to them

Not everyone will understand or appreciate what you value. But you get to say what feels right. Being empowered to live your truth is vital to harmony. You need to honor it. You can’t live authentically and simultaneously try to please others. It’s time you replace what doesn’t align with what’s important to you. Freedom awaits on the other side.

Family members offer heavily packaged toys to my kids. I’m not ok with it, but I let it go a few years ago. Now we have too much junk. My kids’ interest inevitably waned. I plan to clarify our needs as the gift-giving time comes. I don’t want non-recyclable trash in our house.

Let boundaries be gentle yet firm. I’ve had family members challenge mine. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable. But I’m determined to maintain strong limits.

We have the right to respect our values. We might have differing views than our parents or caregivers. It’s ok to honor those differences and stand strong in your beliefs.

Final thoughts

Living in alignment with your values accentuates your purpose. When you honor your deepest beliefs, you’re living in authenticity. When you’re authentic, you’re empowered to bring your best self to the world. When you present your highest self to others, you raise everyone’s vibes, including your own.

We can embroil ourselves in all the sticky details, like vegetables wrapped in plastic. Or we can simply head to the farm and find what matters. Life doesn’t have to be complicated. Our values are clear and non-negotiable.

When we align with those values, planet Earth and all her inhabitants will benefit.

I have learned that as long as I hold fast to my beliefs and values — and follow my own moral compass — then the only expectations I need to live up to are my own.~Michelle Obama

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