The Four Values I Won’t Live Without (and How They Brought Me Back to Inspirational Guidance)

I didn’t plan to rebuild Inspirational Guidance this year. Not officially, anyway.

But in the middle of juggling projects and letting my focus scatter, I realized I had been stepping away from the very values that once built this space. And when you lose sight of your values, the drift is slow.

You don’t notice it until you look up one day and realize you are no longer where you meant to be.

Values are powerful. They are not just a “nice-to-have” they are the compass that helps you navigate the days when motivation runs out. They are the reason you keep going when things get messy and frustrating. Which can be often!

It was a random course, on content creation, that started the process. I was looking to create content in a niche area I am passionate about and the light went off (literally) in my head. Personal development. A no-brainer for me.

After the course I decided to revisit my values. I found myself going back to the ones I always go back to, because that is the thing about values, when they are "built in" you don't have to find them. They are always with you.

So here they are. My non-negotiables. The core values that brought me back to Inspirational Guidance.

1. Empowerment

Empowerment isn’t about cheerleading from the sidelines. It’s about making sure people have the tools, space, and confidence to make their own choices.

When I drift from empowerment, I notice I start doing too much for others instead of helping them find their own way.  Coming back to this value means remembering my role is to create resources that help women take the lead in their own lives, not to take the lead for them.

2. Contribution

Contribution keeps me from shrinking into my own bubble. It’s the question I ask myself: Is what I’m doing adding something meaningful for someone else?

It’s not about keeping busy. It’s about putting time, energy, and ideas into work (and my family/personal life) that makes a difference, whether that’s through a guide, a workshop, or even one well-timed piece of advice.

When I honor this value, my work feels expansive. I know I am adding to something bigger than myself.

3. Playfulness

You wouldn’t think playfulness and empowerment would sit side-by-side on a list like this, but they do. Playfulness lightens the weight of the serious work. It keeps creativity alive. It helps me experiment without fearing mistakes.

When I forget playfulness, I burn out faster. When I keep it close, even big challenges feel more manageable. Inspirational Guidance has space for fun as well as focus and that’s deliberate.

4. Support

Support is my reminder that no one does this alone. Not even me.

It is not about fixing everything for everyone, it is about showing up and saying, I am here, let’s work through this together. Support shapes the way I build resources: they are designed to stand alongside you, not tower over you.

Reflection
Coming back to these four values wasn’t a branding exercise, it was a personal recalibration. They are my grounding points, the way I measure if I’m on track or drifting.

They are not just work values they direct my personal life too and every time I return to them, I see Inspirational Guidance more clearly for what it is, a space built on purpose, contribution, creativity, and support.

If you haven’t named your own values yet, it's worth taking the time. They are the clearest map you will ever have.

If you need some help defining your core values and you haven't registered yet, you will find a really useful guide called "How To Define Your Core Values And Actually Use Them In Daily Decisions" in the community members area.

I’d include it here so you could download it, but apparently Diana has rules… and she’s not letting me 😉