In the last few weeks I have spoken a great deal about living a purposeful and meaningful life – a life that is shaped and guided by our values.
Let’s dig a little deeper today and examine what values are and three ways to identify yours.
What are values?
Values lie at the very heart of personal meaning and purpose. They are defined by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as “verbally constructed, global, desired and chosen life directions.”* Values are not goals, they are the guiding principles which shape and define our lives. You can think of values as a direction, with no end point, whereas you can think of goals as something that can be finished, checked off, or accomplished. We set goals in service of our values.
Values tap into what really matters to us as individuals, and what we perceive as a well-lived life to look like. You’ll know if you’ve tapped into a value because talking about it, thinking about, and acting in service of it will ignite in you a powerful feeling of vitality, energy and inspiration. Our values have the potential to light us up and wake us up…
Three methods to determine your personal values:
1. Take the “Values in Action, Signature Strengths” online test. It is available free of charge at http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu. Register your details (it is completely confidential), select from the Questionnaires tab “VIA Survey of Character Strengths” test, log in and away you go. Once you’ve finished, the report will give you a ranking of the 24 strengths the test measures – pay attention to the top 5, your top strengths and if you’re interested, take a peek at the bottom 5 and think of those as areas for improvement.
2. Think of a situation or issue that makes you angry or outraged. Consider why this makes you angry? What principle does this situation impinge or violate? This is something you value.
3. Reflect on a person you admire. This person can be someone you know personally or someone you don’t know. It can be someone alive today, or from the history books. What does this person stand for, what did they contribute or what is it about them that you hold in such esteem? This is something you value.
In a nutshell, to boost your happiness and wellbeing simply look for ways to use or express your values in daily life, whether you’re at work, at play or at home. More on this next week!
Love to all,
Suz xx
*Reference: “Learning ACT” by J. Luoma, S. Hayes and R. Walser
Suzy is available for counselling, coaching and private yoga sessions at her consulting room in Cammeray, Sydney, home visits, coaching via phone or skype, and ‘walk & talk’ sessions by appointment.
Contact Suzy at: suzy@suzyreading.co.uk
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