Before taking my coaching courses, I never gave much thought about what my values were. I remember that my parents taught me right from wrong and being raised in Quebec, we did go to Church on Sunday where I learned about being nice to others, sharing, helping people, etc. I thought those were my only values and then I didn’t think much about this concept during my adult life.

I’ve always been very driven. While most girls dreamt of fairytales it was clear to me by age 10 that I wanted to run an empire. I had the opportunity to work for amazing companies and I was happy to work hard and climb the corporate ladder. Then one day I got pregnant and shortly after that, I got diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I went on to delivering a beautiful baby boy (now almost 6) and beat cancer. I was off work for about 18 months and then I went back to the company, assuming a new role and ready to get back at it! But somehow, it never felt right. I felt odd, distracted, and I just could not buy into it like I used to. I started looking at the clock, looking forward to going home to my family – which was odd considering I’ve pulled many all nighters without flinching. During that time, I would blame the company for my unhappiness. Of course, it has to be its fault!

Then I got pregnant with baby number 2, went on mat leave and decided to look at other opportunities. I went to my first coaching course not really knowing what to expect. The first thing we were going to talk about was values. I thought...well, that’s going to be boring, I know ALL about values. But after digging into my values system, naming them and putting them in order of importance, I could not help but to realize how much my values had changed. There were new values like family that outshined all the others and somehow, running an empire was just not the priority anymore. And then it hit me. It wasn’t the company after all...it was me! The company had not shifted its values but mine had in such a way that it just wasn’t a good fit anymore.

Now I am still and always will be a driven person, but now I found a way to honour that part of myself while making sure that my other values are also respected by myself and others. In coaching we talk about honouring or not honouring your values and the impact it has on our lives. It amazes me today that since gaining clarity on my values, how much easier it is for me to make important decisions and I feel like I don’t second guess myself anymore. For the first time in a long time, I know I am exactly where I want to be.

What are your values?

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