How do I actually know if my investments align with my values?

This is the question I think about most. You start by getting clear on what 'your values' really means—not the abstract version, but the concrete one. For me, it's about human dignity and economic justice. So I ask: Does this company pay living wages? Are workers treated as ends in themselves, or means to profit? Do they contribute to or extract from their community? Then you look at the actual metrics. ESG scores help, but they're incomplete—don't let them be your only guide. Read shareholder reports. Check voting records on labor and environmental issues. Talk to fund managers about their screening process. Some will have thought deeply about these questions; others are just following a checklist. Here's what matters most: you don't need perfection. No company is flawless. But you can recognize the difference between a genuine effort toward justice and greenwashing. The companies trying—really trying—show it in their trade-offs, their transparency about failures, their willingness to be held accountable. Start with one investment. Research it thoroughly. Notice how that clarity feels. Then build from there. The point isn't purity; it's intention.