tipping the scales.

Yesterday I wrote that I believed we lived in a nation that valued morals over money, principles over power, competency over conspiracy, and just common decency over depravity… and we don’t. But, it kinda hit me that while I may be disappointed in the country, I can, obviously, live these out for myself. It’s grounding to put these on paper—to clarify what I can control in my own sphere, even when I can’t control what’s out there.

So, I wrote down some of the values I hope to have in the coming months. The values I hope to put energy into. Guardrails maybe. Or weights to tip the scales of decision when it’s not obvious. (And I really didn’t mean to have this alliteration thing going, but once it did, it was hard to stop.)

Morals over Money
I barely like the word “morals” because of my religious past, but The Moral Animal got me able to stand it again. But, I will give it to my Christian past: the love of money is, in fact, the root of all evil—or at least it’s hard to argue otherwise. The love of money really is the root of most of the destructive tendencies of cultures, societies, and individuals. It’s scary shit.

Principles over Power
What’s the difference between principles and morals? Principles are broader: justice, equality, kindness, and morals are how we act given those principles. What’s the difference between power and money? Hmmm… I’m not sure. But I want to chase the kind of power that can’t be bought or sold.

Competency over Conspiracy
I think this one is obvious, but I’m really over the conspiracy theories—no matter where they come from. They are fun and dramatic, but I don’t even want to dabble in them or hear about them. They thrive on intrigue, but often at the cost of truth. I’d rather put my energy toward what’s solid.

Decency over Depravity
Pretty obvious, and god I hope I never lean toward depravity, but it can be a tricky son of a bitch, and decency is sneaky in the way it disappears sometimes. Decency, the quiet workhorse, doesn’t shout—it just endures. I want to stay awake to that.

Creativity over Consumption
This is a big one for me. I want to get back to writing, to blogging, to creating art, to coaching, to creating relationships—and less consuming of news, politics, etc… like I said yesterday.

Honesty over Hypocrisy
This one is a new one that I was thinking about in the shower. There is a form of hypocrisy that is simply not being vocal about what I stand for. I’m tired of doing that. Of course, kindness matters, but I’m tired of being quiet for the fear of offending those who might disagree. Hypocrisy seems to creep around sometimes quietly, disguised as silence. Gotta stay grounded in honesty, even if it makes waves.

Boundaries over Bridges
This is a really tough one, but it’s just where I’m at right now. Hopefully, not for long. But I’m tired of trying to build bridges to try and understand where everyone is coming from at the cost of my own sanity. Right now, for a minute, I’m going to need boundaries. I do hope to get to a point where I can start building those bridges, but right now all the bridges seem to lead to lands I don’t really want to travel in. Sometimes, staying grounded requires choosing where not to go.

These are just mine, just for now—the weights I need to keep my scales balanced in a world that sometimes feels so off-kilter. Love to know yours.