Values

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What are values?

Values are personally chosen life directions that can act as your inner compass. They help us to identify what’s important and act on it, rather than reactively following our thoughts and feelings.

Why are values important?

  • With all the demands of everyday life, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s important.
  • Our actions can be driven by our immediate feelings (e.g. irritability) or old habits (e.g. procrastinating).
  • Values serve as a guide to help us know what to do instead.
  • Once you identify your values, you can set goals and choose specific actions to pursue them.
  • You can’t easily control what you think and feel in any moment, but you can always choose your actions based on your values.
  • Values dignify the normal pain that comes with living and provide motivation even when things are hard.

Values domains

It’s helpful to articulate values in different domains. For example:

family
career

friendship
community

spirituality
citizenship

relationships
learning

fun and leisure
health and fitness

Values words and phrases

Within these domains, it’s helpful to identify words and phrases
that capture how you want to be or act on an ongoing basis. Examples:

adventurous
open
curious
collaborative

hardworking
steady
strong
calm

empathic
loving
caring
visionary

passionate
focused
friendly

fun-loving
humorous
energetic

persistent
engaged
thoughtful

“I want to be a team player.”
“I value helping others, taking good care of my health, and having a great time.”
“I want to keep my family in mind in whatever I do.”
“I want to engage the world with curiosity and openness.”
“I want to make the most of every day.”

Things to know

Values and goals. Values are not goals. You can’t achieve or obtain them. Values are chosen life directions; goals are places we might arrive as we move in those directions.

Values and feelings. Values are not feelings. You may not feel adventurous all the time, but you can act in an adventurous way whenever you choose.

Choosing your values. You get to decide how you want to be or act on an ongoing basis. It’s up to you.

The values yardstick. How do you know if a value works for you? Ask yourself if it brings vitality and meaning to your life – even when things are hard or stressful.

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