When I was in my early 20s I landed my first fancy hotel job at Le Meridien in downtown Vancouver.
Working as a switchboard operator.
I’d gone through several nerve-wracking interviews to get the job, so I was over the moon 🌙 when they offered it to me!
But unfortunately *that* feeling didn’t last!
The moment I started my first shift, I knew I’d made a BIG mistake.
Big. Huge.
After 8 miserable hours answering phones, I did the unthinkable…
I quit. Never to return.
So why?
What was so wrong with *that* job?
Well the truth is…
Absolutely nothing! For someone else.
But for me…
Working in a tiny, windowless office. Attached to a phone all day. Repeating the same few words (in English, then in French) over and over again: “Good afternoon Hotel Meridien. Bonjour Le Meridien”…
Absolutely drained the f*ck out of me! 😵
No natural light. Personal face-face connections. Or room to move my body.
Aka…NO FUN.
I was shocked by how much I disliked that job.
(Especially after having coveted it for weeks)! 🤦
When I got home that night, I cried.
Then called a friend. Who, it turns out, was NOT shocked.
Apparently she knew me better than I knew myself.
She understood how much I’d wanted to work in a hotel. But in THAT job? Not on your life!
Cuz working as a telephone operator didn’t fit with my top values:
- Meaningful connections (versus phone convos)
- Freedom to be myself and move around (not being stuck in a chair all day)
- Fun and variety (not doing the same repetitive task over and over again!)
After that career faux pas (and a few others that followed over the years) I know myself MUCH better now.
I understand how important it is to make choices that align with your top values.
That when you use them as your compass, they’ll lead you to a life that fits with who you really are.
And to what matters most to you.
You get to be (as one of my friends likes to say) your “selfiest-self”.
And you’re soooo much happier! 💃
But here’s the thing…
Everyone’s values are different.
What matters most to YOU, doesn’t necessarily matter to me (and vise versa).
To live your most fulfilling life, it’s crucial to identify and embrace YOUR values.
When you try to live by someone else’s, or ignore your own, you’re sure to feel a deep sense of unhappiness.
Cuz you’re living out of sync with your heart’s desires! ❤️
But what if you’re not sure what your top values are? How do you figure them out?
Well here’s one quick way…
Ask yourself these 2 simple questions I discuss in my short 2 1/2 min video here ⤵️
And once you’ve identified your most important values…
You can run decisions through your own ‘values filter’ to ensure that your top needs are always being met.
Then watch as your contentment level goes up.
Like mine did AFTER I quit my job at Le Meridien.
Because within a few weeks I’d landed a MUCH better-suited position…
As a hotel concierge (at a completely different hotel of course!) 😜
It aligned with my top values of connection, fun, and freedom (to be my upbeat, chatty self)!
I stayed in *that* job for several years.
And loved every damn minute of it!
Which is exactly what happens when your choices align with your values.
You get to do what matters most to you. And create a life that fits with the real you.
Kerry xo
P.S. If this sparked something for you and you’re ready to explore your values, grab my free guide What Do I Actually Want? A Guide To Help You Identify Your Top Values And Get Back To What Matters Most.