You see, value is relative.
“A highly developed values system is like a compass. It serves as a guide to point you in the right direction when you are lost.” ― Idowu Koyenikan
Heyy. I hope this meets you well x
Gosh, I can't believe it's been close to a month since the last newsletter. I planned to publish weekly, but in the words of John Lennon, “Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.”
August was out of my control, but khair, in sha Allah, I think I'm finding my balance again.
I do still want to write more consistently, and I'll hopefully be practicing the tip that my friend HK shared with me.
HK writes good fiction stories, so check her out here.
🧠 Core Idea;
On an early Thursday morning, at a few minutes to 8 am, I was in a car on my way to somewhere in Ikeja when I felt a vibration on my legs. I opened my bag and saw that my phone had magically come on.
Two days prior, my phone had fallen inside chicken water and refused to turn on.
Of course, I was elated. But it took only a few minutes to realize that there was something seriously wrong with the phone. It was hot to touch & the battery was draining at an alarming rate. Computer Village wasn't too far away, so I decided to go there to fix it.
When I got to the Slot NG Service Centre, I was told that I would have to ‘service’ the phone (I didn’t know this was a thing) + change the battery of my phone. I decided to go ahead with that + do some extra maintenance on the phone.
When I got my bill, the first thing I told them was, “you guys are too expensive oo” They responded with some spiel about how their focus is to serve their customers well yada yada.
I then told them, “I don’t know why I keep coming here”
But that was a lie. Of course, I know why I keep going there: Value.
I’ve bought most of my phones and the two laptops I’ve ever owned from there. I’ve done most of my repairs there too.
I could easily go somewhere else, but I keep going back there. And to me, that reason is because of value.
I value what their brand offers me: excellent service, reliability, and good customer care.
This isn’t an advertisement for Slot NG. I’m getting somewhere.
Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.
Someone else, on the other hand, might see Slot NG as too expensive and go for some other options. To them, Slot NG isn’t of value to them.
You see, value is relative.
And generally, as human beings, we make our decisions based on what we value. I value what Slot NG offers me more than I value the price or cost of what they’ll charge me. Someone being more financially conservative might value a more affordable brand and go for that instead, even if it comes with bad customer care.
Knowing what you value allows you to move your decision-making process from unconscious to conscious, and this can have significant ramifications on the type of life you live.
When you know your values, you can use them to make decisions about how to live your life, and you can answer questions like these:
What job should I pursue?
What kind of partner should I marry?
What kind of friends should I keep?
Should I accept this promotion?
Should I start my own business?
Should I compromise or be firm with my position?
Should I follow tradition or travel down a new path?
Values are usually fairly stable, yet they don't have strict limits or boundaries. Also, as you move through life, your values may change. For example, when you start your career, success – measured by money and status – might be a top priority. But after you have a family, work-life balance may be what you value more.
As your definition of success changes, so do your personal values. This is why keeping in touch with your values is a lifelong exercise. You should continuously revisit this, especially if you start to feel unbalanced... and you can't quite figure out why.
My friend MT also talks about this idea in his newsletter, so check it out.
The Resources List.
(Video) - Accelerated Learning: How to Get Good at Anything in 20 hours.
(Podcast) - Sleep Toolkit: Tools for Optimising Sleep & Sleep-Wake Timing - Huberman Labs
(Article) When the 80/20 Rule Fails: The Downside of Being Effective
🤔 Reflections Corner.
• Am I really as amazing as I think I am?
• How do I find the balance between good self-esteem and self-improvement?
• How can I be a better friend?
• How do I show up better for people I care about?
• How do I learn to be better at communicating esp when it's hard?
These 5 questions have been running through my mind, and I'm deeply reflecting on them. Can you answer these questions for yourself?
✈️ Doings.
~ Starting my 7th semester (of 8) as a student of psychology at IOU. I'm super excited because the end is near. It's been a long journey.
Until next time,
Xoxo,
Nusaybah.
PS - I was super excited about starting a podcast, but I might be shelving it for a while. My current environment & reality doesn't give me a lot of room for it. I'm happy about the 100 listens so far, though. Thank you for listening!!🤍
Whoop! Thanks for the s/o!
I previously thought a person's values, once solidified and tested, will remain with them all through life. But this article, coupled with other experiences, has made me see that values change because life is so dynamic
Thanks for this, it has changed the way I see things now