Create a Visual Soul Map: A Core Values Based Spiritual Tool | Sam Horton

FOR EPISODE LINKS & MORE INFO VISIT: https://samhorton.co/blog/ep51

In this episode, we're diving into the spiritual power of core values—those soul-deep truths that guide your choices, shape your creativity, and anchor you in uncertain times. In a world that constantly pulls us outward, returning to what truly matters within is one of the most radical forms of self-trust we can cultivate.

Core values aren’t just nice words on a vision board—they’re living reflections of your essence, your integrity, and your inner compass. Whether you’re moving through burnout, reclaiming your voice, or navigating a life transition, this episode offers a soulful invitation to reconnect with your truth and create a values-led life from the inside out.

Key takeaways:

• Why core values are powerful tools for spiritual alignment, not just corporate buzzwords
• How living in alignment with your values helps you trust your inner "yes" and "no"
• A heart-opening reflection practice to help uncover your true soul values
• Journal prompts to explore what makes you feel most alive and at home with yourself
• Tips for creating a values-based visual soul map to anchor your values into daily life
• How values can nourish your nervous system, relationships, creativity, and decision-making
• The difference between surface-level ideals and embodied soul truths
• A closing reflection to help you envision what might shift if you truly lived by your core values

🎧 Tune in to explore what it really means to live soul-led, one courageous value-aligned step at a time.

FOR EPISODE LINKS & MORE INFO VISIT: https://samhorton.co/blog/ep51

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction - Uncovering Your Deep Core Values
• 2:11 Why Core Values Are More Than Just a Self-Help Exercise
• 3:44 The Empowering Energy of Values-Led Living
• 4:57 A Soul-led Core Values Reflection Excercise
• 7:46 Bring Your Values to Life: Create a Values-Based Visual Soul Map
• 10:03 Values as a Spiritual Homecoming
• 10:47 Powerful Reflection For You to Ponder

Transcript

Ep 51: Soul-led Creative Women

[00:00:00] So this week's episode is all about core values. In a world that constantly asks us to be more, do more, and prove our worth through external measures. Returning to our deepest core values is one of the most profound building blocks of spiritual empowerment we can offer ourselves. These inner truths act as soul compasses guiding us back to alignment, authenticity, and our personal power.

But what are core values really? They're not just lofty ideals or nice words to put on a vision board. At their essence, deep core values are the living truths that shape how we thrive. When we are fully connected to our soul and spirit, they reflect what truly matters to us beyond ego conditioning or the need to be accepted.

And I [00:01:00] believe they should govern every intention, decision, choice, and action that we move towards. When we intentionally reconnect with our core values, we begin to live from the inside out, no longer seeking validation or clarity from the noise around us. By trusting the knowing within, they give us the foundation from which to do this.

So I think core values are much more than just a self-help exercise. You know, I'm sure that you've done, core values exercises in, you know, corporate trainings or coaching sessions or various workshops, but often they stay at the surface level. You know, they become a list of words that sound good, and look good on paper rather than ones that feel deeply true to us.

But when we approach, uh, core values and, you know, defining or uncovering our core values from the intention of spiritual practice and spiritual connection, rather than, through the lens of [00:02:00] goals or nice to haves, they become something much deeper. They can become anchors. You know, for us in times of change or uncertainty, they act as mirrors for personal truth.

You know, they guide, you know, whether we should or shouldn't do something. Th they become fertile soil for empowered decision making. They're reminders of our soul's essence and what's really important to us, and they can become portals for healing, purpose, and expansion. I. And this is especially powerful, you know, when you are navigating a transition, you know, if you're healing from something from burnout, or you're reclaiming your voice or reimagining the next chapter of your life, you know, your values aren't just about what you believe, but they are reflections of who you are becoming, you know, and what you desire most in life.

When we live in alignment with our true core [00:03:00] values, we feel less fragmented and more whole, and we no longer waste energy bending ourselves into roles or expectations that don't fit. We trust our yeses and our nos, and we can make choices that nourish our nervous system, our relationships, our creative expression, and our spirit.

This kind of values led living be can become a daily act of spiritual self-trust. Even when the path is unclear or unconventional, we walk it knowing we're rooted in something real, and this is where empowerment lives. You know, it's in the quiet courage to be led by your truth. It's in the power of living a life that feels like it belongs to you.

So I have a little, soul led reflection practice for you to try, as part of this, uh, core values podcast episode. So it is a gentle heart opening practice. I. for you to explore your own deep core values. [00:04:00] So the first thing is to create a sacred intention. You know, light a candle, play some soft music.

Get yourself, you know, really ready and grounded, sit in nature. do a meditation and ground yourself and your body and take a few deep breaths. I want you to ask your heart, when do I feel most alive?

What am I always drawn back to? No matter the season of my life,

what breaks my heart open? What brings me home to myself?

 so as you dwell or ponder on those powerful questions, you know, let the list of values emerge. Don't overthink it, you know, feel into the words that carry energy for you. You know, you might come up with words like freedom or [00:05:00] connection. Integrity, creativity, grace, sovereignty, joy, depth, truth, you know, all sorts of things.

I mean, my own core values are creativity, home sanctuary, deep truth, connection, freedom, integrity, and curiosity. But yours might be different. Choose up to seven that feel the most resonant for you. These should be your soul level values that feel like you are inner compass. And as you are, coming up with the words, you know, some might overlap.

So you, you, you're looking to refine, but think about all areas of your life. You know, make sure that your values cover all areas,Consider what's important to you across, you know, home and family, friends, work and purpose, creativity, health, money, and abundance and love.

You know, think about all of [00:06:00] it. not just, where your attention might be focused at the moment, but try and think of your whole life, And lastly, you know, reflect on how you can honor these values more deeply in your everyday life.

Let them guide your choices, your boundaries, your rituals, your relationships and self-expression. You know, I'm still committed to developing more practices of my own that help me align my core values with my everyday life. It is a work in progress and a long-term commitment, but it really feels empowering to have something tangible to work towards because I'm clear on my core values.

The second part of this, little exercise is to bring your values to life. You know, I want you to create a values-based visual soul map. So once you've got your, uh, deep core values defined and you're really happy with them, it's time to give them some form through imagery, color, and your intuition.

Creating a visual soul map is a really powerful spiritual tool that can help you anchor your values [00:07:00] into your subconscious. And display it somewhere where you can see it so that you can infuse your daily life with this intention. So use whatever materials you like. You can do a collage or a painting, or you can even do a digital version, you know, in Canva or something similar.

And, you know, choose images and words that feel like your values,

And that, you know, represent them and, and really speak, to you the intention behind that value for you. You know, let your intuition guide your selections. It's not about perfection, it's just about what really resonates with you. And then arrange these images, words, whatever on a page, you know, and create a visual soul map.

You can divide it into sections one for each value, or you can sort of let it evolve organically. you know, it doesn't really matter what it, what the pattern is. you know, add some handwritten affirmations or mantras or, you know, label each value, whatever feels good to [00:08:00] you. And then, place it somewhere that's important, that you're gonna see it, you know, let it live in your favorite place somewhere sacred, your creative space, or just in your journal.

And revisit it often. Let it remind you of the life that you are consciously choosing, and let it guide. You, your actions, your decisions,

And this is a really great way to embody and give life, you know, to your values in a really soul nourishing exercise. And it becomes almost like a visual declaration of your, your empowerment. I actually have a digital version, as like a, the, the background image on one of. The screens at my computer.

So there's lots of ways that you can kind of make it, you can display it. There's lots of ways that you can display it, in a place where you see it all the time. So. Just to wrap up, you know, living by your deep core values is not about perfection. This is about integrity. It's about choosing to come home to yourself again and again, especially when life [00:09:00] feels uncertain or noisy.

And you know, it's a really empowered stance of wholeness, of remembering that you are allowed to live in a way that feels deeply true and, you know, moving towards, you know, a more empowered version of your life when you are. Deeply rooted in your values, and you bring them to life. Through this kind of reflection and creativity, you can reclaim your energy, you know, your voice and your power.

 and it's not about drawing from the outside. It's about drawing from the wellspring of your own soul. And this is where your truest magic lives. So to finish the episode, I'm gonna leave you with a powerful question to ponder.

I want you to ask yourself, if I fully lived in alignment with my deepest core values, what would I let go of and what would I finally give myself permission to become? I'd love to hear what comes up for you. Take care.