VALUES: WHY THEY MATTER & HOW TO IDENTIFY YOURS

Values, in my humble opinion, are an underrated concept and an underutilized tool. The way values work is presented is often superficial and frankly can be a little cheesy. When done right, however, values work is a powerful way to increase self-awareness, help you make decisions about how you spend your precious time and energy, and maximize your chances of feeling joy and purpose in your life.

What are Values?

Values, according to ethics expert Steven Mintz, are “basic and fundamental beliefs that guide or motivate attitudes or actions.” Mintz further notes that, “Values describe the personal qualities we choose to embody to guide our actions; the sort of person we want to be; the manner in which we treat ourselves and others, and our interaction with the world around us.”

Put simply, our values are the things that matter most to us. They help us define what it means to live a good life and can fuel intentional decision making and action.

The Benefits of Knowing Your Values

Understanding and attempting to live by your personal values has a number of psychological benefits. These include:

  • Reduced stress

  • Greater resilience

  • Improved ability to set priorities and make decisions

  • Greater motivation to work toward goals

  • A heightened sense of meaning and fulfillment in life

  • Enhanced self-knowledge and authenticity

Overall, knowing your values and deliberately putting them into action will help you feel empowered and purposeful as you live your daily life. Not being in touch with your values, on the contrary, can result in feeling scattered, aimless, or being vulnerable to letting other people’s beliefs/opinions dictate how you live.

5 Steps to Clarify & Start Living by Your Values

  1. Self-reflect. Ask yourself questions to start gaining awareness about what is important to you. Really take your time with these questions, journal your thoughts, and revisit them on different days to see if other perspectives emerge. Some useful questions could include –

    • What values was I raised with? Which of these values do I still resonate with? Are there any that I no longer identify with?

    • When have I felt happiest, most fulfilled, proudest, or most purposeful in my life? What was I doing? What about those experiences created these positive feelings?

    • When have I felt disappointed in myself? Was there a value I failed to live up to in that situation?

    • Who do I respect, admire, or look up to? What is it about the way that person lives that inspires or impresses me?

    • Do I have any core religious or spiritual beliefs? If yes, what information do they offer about what matters most in life?

    2. Synthesize. Review your responses to your self-reflection questions and identify themes. Combine ideas that are similar to help narrow down your list. Aim to arrive at key words or concepts that represent your core values.

    3. Prioritize. Select the top three values that you want to focus on for the moment.

    4. Enact. Identify how you can put your values into practice and then do it. Some examples of values and how you could put them into action are:

    • Curiosity: seek to learn new and different things, ask people thoughtful questions to learn more about them, hold what you think you know lightly and be open to different perspectives

    • Health: find ways you like to move your body and engage with these activities regularly, attend medical appointments, prioritize good sleep, practice proactive stress management

    • Growth: regularly step outside of your comfort zone, actively seek feedback at work/in relationships and apply what you learn, go to therapy

    5. Reevaluate. Have a yearly values check-in. See if the values you have previously identified and the order in which you have prioritized them still feel right to you or if you need to make changes. Commit to the three values you will dedicate yourself to for the next year.

Get Support

Values work is challenging. Sometimes we don’t know the answers to the self-reflection questions or get confused when we try to translate ideas about our values into action. If you’re getting stuck, therapy can help you achieve self-understanding and the intentional life you want. Contact me today to get started.

 

Please note: This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a licensed mental health provider or other healthcare professional for guidance related to your specific mental health or medical concerns.

Next
Next

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ANXIETY & ADHD