Exploring Your Values
Values are the guiding principles that shape how you want to live your life. Unlike goals, which can be completed, values are ongoing and provide direction, much like a compass. Writing about your values can deepen your connection to them and help you live in alignment with what truly matters to you.
Why Write About Values?
Research has shown that writing about your values can reduce stress, increase resilience, and make it easier to take meaningful action. Rather than simply listing your values, writing allows you to explore them more deeply, reflect on their significance, and consider how to embody them in daily life.
Reflection Questions
Choose a value that is important to you. Spend about 10 minutes writing freely in response to some or all of these questions:
What does this value mean to me?
How has this value shaped my life?
When have I acted in alignment with this value, and what was the impact?
If your life were a book or movie, what genre would it be? How does this genre reflect your values and choices?
How can I live more fully in accordance with this value moving forward?
Bringing Values to Life
After writing, take a moment to review what you wrote. Identify specific actions you can take to express this value in your daily life. Consider small, meaningful steps that align with what you truly care about.
Beyond Goals
In ACT, values are distinct from goals. Goals are achievements that can be completed, like reaching a milestone or finishing a project. Values, on the other hand, are ongoing guides that inform how you live your life. For example, if a value is kindness, there is no final point where you have "completed" being kind—it remains a continuous practice. By focusing on values, you create a flexible and meaningful path rather than being fixated on specific outcomes. Values writing is not about judging yourself or getting it "right." It’s an opportunity to reflect and reconnect with what truly matters to you. Approach this exercise with curiosity and self-compassion.