My C O R E Values

C O R E. The center of our lives. The way we lead our lives. Everyone's core is unique to themselves. I never really thought about the values I care most about that build the foundation of my life. So, I took the 5 steps and came up with the C O R E values I hold:

Character: all the qualities that make a person distinct from others. One's character says a lot about them. Their moral qualities, how they act, what sets them apart from the crowd. I believe that character can be built by nature and nurture. As an AP Psychology student, we are learning about how different philosophers argue that our behavior and way of thinking are shaped by either nature or nurture. In my opinion, both our biological makeup and the environment we surround ourselves with partake in our character. We can't change the nature, but we can always better our character through nurturing. Holding ourselves to a high moral standard, acting with integrity, and learning from our experiences are all ways we can improve our character to live a fulfilling life.

Optimism: hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something. Being optimistic is one of the best values a person can have. Always having a positive outlook is the best way to overcome obstacles and take on challenges in our lives. Sure, being an idealist (like Santiago in The Alchemist) can have it's drawbacks, but if we never see the good in people or things, we will never take risks. Hoping for the best outcome makes succeeding even more enjoyable. 

Reflection: serious thought or consideration. Reflecting on our past experiences is a great way to learn from them. If we never contemplate what went wrong, we will keep making the same mistakes. We can also learn from good experiences. Reflecting on how we succeeded will help demonstrate what is important to us and what we can repeat to succeed again. Reflection makes us self-aware with curiosity and interest.

Empathy: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Empathy is important for us to become more worldly individuals. The capacity to put ourselves in another person's shoes is crucial to understanding problems that may not necessarily affect us. By understanding another person's emotions, we can respond accordingly and even bridge the gap between our divisions. Being empathetic helps us build healthy relationships, with friends, family, and even strangers. It is the key to other prominent values like teamwork, compassion, and leadership.

My C O R E values will now be in my head for every further step and action I take to make sure I live my life to it's fullest potential. Everyone lives a different life and everyone has different core values that gives us a unique sense of purpose.