Card Game of Values

There are cards that we are dealt with in life that have different values. Depending on the game, or even other opponents, we might be able to have higher or lower values that will favour us or not, but in some cases, it might favour others. 

There is an analogy I came up with the other day that combined the idea of values with a card game. The values that I then defined as extra or just present (that are likely to add on or not change anything at all ); there are the safe ones (that are only dealt with in specific moments that will help you keep the game going); and lastly, there are the winning cards (that tend to give you that push to win the game). Each one of these types of values, or cards, have different meanings to them. For it, one must first identify the values that one lives by, and understand what their value is in itself. 

In my case, the extra cards are referred to as the cards of kindness, the ones that will always keep the game going, because regardless of whether it is useless to you at times, it may benefit others in making their next move. The next set of values, the safety cards, I refer to them as the ones that also give you that extra push which you are sometimes scared to use because you doubt if you would need them in the future. However, these cards are the ones that define the vulnerability and confidants or companions that you are surrounded by. Vulnerability tends to be expressed when you feel safe, and one usually does this when they are in an environment where one is comfortable enough to expose their truest version of oneself (especially if one is dealing with something or has some stored emotions). However, the other side to vulnerability is not only having a safe space where you can express yourself, but it is also knowing that you are not alone and you have confidants, people in your life that you can turn to and feel safe in expressing that vulnerability. Lastly, the set of values that I consider to be the winning cards are love and trust. I found myself at first being in the habit of dealing with these cards, thinking that I would be ahead of the game, without assessing the game itself or maybe not understanding it enough to be able to strategically use it to win. But as one continues to play this card game of values, I found that one learns to wait to deal with their winning set of cards until they have assessed the game, the players, and even the environment, and not give in so quickly. In this case, love and trust were two of the values that I would easily put on the table and then facing the reality of maybe skipping a few steps before actually thinking of the outcome and of how it would not only benefit me but how it can benefit others to still take those extra steps in playing the cards of kindness and companionship. 

This card game of values is one that allowed me to set some clarity in the foundation of values that would stabilize my inner being and find a way to create a flow and balance with people, places, and myself. But one might think, as I did, that we have clarity on the values we have, and that we are congruent with them. The thing, however, is not only if one is congruent with them or if there is clarity in what they are, but it is also understanding the importance of each one and understanding their role in your life and how these can be used to push you forward in your growth. 

So, I ask you, what is your card game of values? What are the set of values that you define as extra, safe, or your winning cards? Are you taking the right steps to win your card game, or are you still repeating the patterns and altering your order of values?

Z.