How Joining A Sorority Was A Test Of My Core Values

In the fall of 1992, I joined a sorority because my first childhood friend had joined one.

I arrived Sunday afternoon, right before classes started the next day. My parents took me to the university after spending the week showing lambs for my last year of 4-H. Classes kicked off, and after a few weeks, I received a call to go for an ice cream social. What did that entail besides ice cream?

Curiosity led me there.

My introverted side didn’t want to go. But my extrovert side wanted to go meet new people. I went and got invited back several more times.

One key part of this story is I knew nothing about the Greek System, sororities and fraternities. So, all of this was new to me.

When the invitation arrived to join the sorority, my people-pleaser side showed up. First, I didn’t want to disappoint my dorm roommate who was a high school friend by joining. And I didn’t want to let down my childhood friend by not joining. What a dilemma! So, I went with my curiosity and joined.

This triggered several high school friends who said hopefully I wouldn’t change. What did that mean? Remember, I didn’t know about the Greek System.

But, I knew one thing for sure. I knew myself well and I wouldn’t change for anybody.

Back then and to this day, 30 years later, I’m that same person.

Some may call me stubborn. But I know the truth. I’m led by my core values. Values that lead me to live a healthy life.

So, when I started to pivot online, I looked for the behaviors that a person shows on a daily basis online. Using discernment, I’m able to weave through the noise and find like-minded people. People with a solid foundation built on core values.

As you navigate your life, have you stopped to define your set of core values?

After you’ve read this, I’m giving you an assignment: start thinking about your core values and list them out.

The secret to achieving inner peace lies in understanding our inner core values — those things in our lives that are most important to us — and then seeing that they are reflected in the daily events of our lives.

Hyrum W. Smith.

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