How should a nation-state develop its foreign policy in accordance to its values and in connection to the development of its domestic policy?

How should a nation-state develop its foreign policy in accordance to its values and in connection to the development of its domestic policy?

I have been very fortunate in my life that I've had great opportunity to travel. I've spent time in Europe, Canada, and Latin America mainly. But in addition to my international travel, I've had great opportunity to travel within our nation as well. I'm lucky to say that I've been in all but five US States (and don't worry...I will get to those!)

Through my traveling I've seen political interactions between countries and other countries, and even political correspondence between the states. I still struggle with articulating how I truly feel that domestic and foregin policy should be developed.

I think that, simply put,  a nation-state should develop it's foreign policy in correlation with the values and health of their domestic policy.

For example, if a country believes in helping their under-privileged and providing things like social security and medicare, than the country should be more willing to provide aid for other countries especially after natural disasters. Also, if a nation-state has a domestic policy of freedom of religion, freedom of speech then that nation should never impose their religion or political values on another nation.

But on the same hand, there should be a correlation between foreign and domestic policy. If the country is struggling with their domestic policy, then they should hold a more conservative foreign policy until the issues at home are resolved.