What are my values?
Identify your values to create more clarity in your life
Values are what drive our thoughts, behaviours, actions and decisions. They set the direction we want to follow in life, like a compass. They define who we are and what we want to be. Our values are usually positive and aspirational, and they motivate us through life.
What happens when we don't meet our values? It can feel like there's a disconnect, something is not quite right. It can lead to unhappiness. Because when we're not aligned with our values, we deny ourselves what's most important.
Values are usually pretty stable, but they can change over time, depending on life experiences, relationships, events. Their level of priority might change depending on specific situations too.
Once you’ll have clarified your values, you’ll be able to be more authentic, to be your true self and make decisions accordingly.
“It's so valuable to know WHY I'm feeling what I'm feeling, it's empowering.”
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These were the words of one of my clients after we had finished a session discussing her values. She was feeling disconnected from her current job and what she had to do. She found it job overwhelming and draining, even though her projects were interesting. After we had talked about her values, what they mean to her, she was able to understand why she's not feeling fulfilled by her work and current projects.
Once you've identified your values, things will become so much clearer. Past events, past jobs, past relationships will make sense. And you'll be able to figure out how you can integrate your values into your life and what you need to change to build a better and happier future.
An exercise to explore your values
I have designed an exercise that combines powerful reflection questions and a pretty long list of words to help you come up with your values. If it is a piece of work that you’re ready to do, I’d recommend setting aside at least 1 hour to go through it.
But you might find that the power of this exercise comes from talking about it, so think of someone you could share this with. A friend or family member might also be interested in doing it for themselves!
And if you want to take it a step further, you can book a 90-minute values session with me.