Values

"The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are."

– Carl Jung

I’ve explored many practices to better understand myself: traditional CBT, the Hoffman Process, ketamine[1] therapy, writing, breathwork, and more. So, it’s a little embarrassing to admit that I haven’t intimately reflected on my personal values until recently.

Last week, my teammate at Weekend Fund, Vedika, and I joined Long Journey Ventures’ founder offsite in beautiful Pescadero, an hour south of San Francisco. It wasn’t a typical VC event. They added just the right amount of “woo” (as Mike from LJV described it). My favorite activity: Breathwork[2]. The most useful activity: Values reflection.

We were given a list of values provided by Brené Brown[3] to serve as inspiration.

The values that spoke to me:

• Authenticity
• Connection
• Curiosity
• Self-discipline
• Independence

Of course, many others are important to me too, but these values resonate with me now, shaped by my experiences and how I want to live my life.‍

Authenticity is what we all crave. We’re inundated with fakeness, partially driven by insecurity and comparison games amplified by the internet. Brené says, “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.”‍

Connection comes from the collision of two people sharing their authentic selves. I’ve spent much of my younger years in self-isolation, driven by social anxiety and introversion. But my most rewarding experiences are when I truly connect with others.‍

Curiosity is the kindling for discovery of oneself and the world. I admire those who seek answers to the unknown. This is one of the reasons why I gravitate toward real founders: people that convert ideas into something new.‍

Self-discipline is about sacrifice and commitment. It’s about following through, doing what you say you’re going to do. I also believe people are more powerful than they often think, but it requires discipline.‍

Independence is very important to me. It’s required to question societal norms and prescriptive advice in order to find what’s true and authentic.

These values might change, but for now, these pillars are useful for me when evaluating where I spend my time and who I spend it with, socially, romantically, and professionally.

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[1] Shoutout to Mindbloom. They're making ketamine therapy more accessible and changing lives. Weekend Fund is an investor in the co. Dylan, the CEO, is very mission-driven. Here's why.

[2] I hopped on the breathwork train last year and highly recommend people give it a try. Join a class or download Othership’s breathwork app.

[3] I was first introduced to Brené through her TED Talk. Give it a watch.