Exploring Your Why: What Truly Matters From the Inside Out 🪷

Last month, we looked at the Compass and the Wheel of Life and invited you to reflect. Some of that may have felt challenging — especially if you’ve lost touch with what truly matters to you, or have simply been too busy to stop, pause, and ask the question.

At the centre of the Compass are your three personal anchors:

• Your Life — your sense of purpose, values, and direction

• Your Adventures — the activities and experiences that energise and inspire you

• Your Wellbeing — your overall sense of physical, mental, and life satisfaction

When you begin to understand what really matters to you, choices often become clearer. Decisions start to feel more aligned with the way you want to live — and life feels more balanced and fulfilling. So it makes sense to start at the centre.

When we know what matters, actions and decisions flow more easily. Our values and purpose may evolve at different stages of life, but the essence of who you are is usually set early on.

It takes a lot of energy to not be yourself — to live out of balance with who you really are. Authenticity is simply this: when what you say and do reflects who you actually are.

🌱 Why Purpose and Values Give You Direction

Here’s what happens when your purpose — your “why” — becomes your guide:

• Anchor decisions in what matters, not impulse or pressure

• Reassess confidently — if something isn’t serving you, you can see why

• Reignite motivation — when you’re moving toward what matters, it feels easier

• Cultivate peace — because you’re not pulled in many different ways

If you can connect with what matters most, that can guide your next steps.

🗒 Reflection Questions to Discover Your Purpose and Values

You’ll find these as a printable sheet in the Lodge. You can take time to think them through or add them to your journalling.

Questions about your passions and joys

• What energises me? When have I felt fully alive or on track?

• What drains me?

• What activities make me lose track of time and bring me joy?

Questions about your skills and strengths

• What am I naturally good at that seems easy to me but difficult for others?

• What skills have I developed throughout my life?

• What skill do I dream of mastering?

Questions about your values and impact

• What core values guide me? What principles do I lean on when I feel stuck?

• What positive impact do I want to make? How do I want people — or life — to be different around me?

• What problems do I feel passionate about solving?

• What kind of legacy do I want to leave behind, or be known for?

• What does success look like in my eyes?

Questions about your past and future

• What did I love doing as a child?

• When was the last time I felt truly happy and fulfilled?

• What does my ideal day — or ideal world — look like?

• What would I do if money wasn’t an issue, or if I couldn’t fail, or didn’t worry about what others might think?

• What do I keep putting off — and why?

If you find yourself stuck, a conversation with a trusted friend who knows you well might help bring clarity.

⚖ Bringing It All Together - Using Your Why to Guide Change

Take your answers to these questions, alongside your Wheel of Life reflections, and you’ll start to see where, what, and how to use your precious time and energy.

Of course, we also have to be realistic. We all carry responsibilities. Dreams often come with a cost or require sacrifice. We can’t do everything at once, in fact we also just plain can't do everything(!) and achieving what we want takes work and consistency.

But we are capable of getting to where we want to be one change and action at a time.

But you have to know where and why you are going!