Understanding our personal values can help us live a happier and more fulfilled life. Our values make up who we are, how we heal, how to be motivated, etc. With ever changing circumstances in the world, it can be difficult to fully accept or understand our values. Each day we may question our values and that is okay. Know that your values do not need to match the values of others, that is what makes us unique. Exploring and identifying our values is extremely important.
Understanding our values can help us face our fears, negative thoughts, anxiety and much more. Our values also help us set and maintain healthy boundaries. Many of us face times when we lack a sense of purpose. Our daily decisions are impacted by our values.
Ways to begin exploring your values:
- Pay attention to what is important to you
What we feel is important and the choices that we make can help us explore and identify our values. Is honesty, integrity, authenticity, and respectfulness important to you?
- Learn about authentic values
It is important to understand authentic vs. non authentic values and which of our values are authentic. Authentic values can be integrity, honesty, or even being open-minded.
- List out loud or on paper what your most important values may be
Saying or writing out our values can make them more real and easier to identify, as well as understand. It can also make it easier to act on your values when you can identify them out loud.
- Understand the things that make you mad
The things that make us mad show us what we believe in and are willing to fight and strive for. Do the current political or economic crisis’ make you mad? This can help you identify what is important to fight for.
- Identify and write down goals
This can help us see our values in what we want to achieve or do in life. Do you want to achieve a certain career or fight for human rights? These goals can lead to very important and authentic values.
- Learn to consistently explore your values
Our values fluctuate and can change over time. We as people are not always going to be the same, so why should our values remain the same? Learn to reevaluate your values over time.
Values are always the solution; our values allow us to:
- Feel confidence in our decisions
- Creates motivation to achieve our goals
- Identify goals
- Understand and improve relationships
- Find and create joy and happiness
- How to face the political, social, and economic changes
Examples of authentic values:
- Integrity
- Honesty
- Vulnerability
- Being open-minded
- Valuing others
- Taking responsibility
- Accepting others and their values
Our values should fluctuate and even change over time. We are not the same person we were ten years ago, so why would our values or beliefs be the same? Learn to consistently explore your values. Our values greatly make up who we are as people, so learn to accept them and use them towards your advantage.
Exploring our values can be difficult, there will always be influences from others on what we should believe or value. It is up to you not to take on others’ beliefs, but to create your own. Our values can also be similar or very different than those of our family and loved ones. Reach out to your couples or family therapist for advice.
If you have a loved one with similar values, confide in them about your own values. If we are willing to argue with close ones about our values, then we know that those values are important to us and willing to uphold. Identifying your values can be very confusing, be respectful to yourself and know that it is all a process.
