How to Find, Define, and Use Your Values

A diagnosis often brings relief, but it can also come with as many questions as answers. Mikayla Balk is a content writer focusing on emotional wellness and mental health. Her passions include mental health advocacy, travel, animals, and nature photography. In Writing and Philosophy from Grand Valley State University. Everyone appreciates loyalty, whether employee loyalty or that of a friend or partner.

Self-concept: what it is & how to change it (with examples)

To move forward, we need to deal with these uncomfortable thoughts and feelings in new ways. Often the emotions that we’re dealing with arise because our needs are being thwarted. For example, a man may seek out an extramarital relationship because he doesn’t feel loved, appreciated, or physically attractive to his wife. A woman may gossip about a coworker’s poor job performance because she doesn’t feel secure in her own job.

1. But researchers suggest that values are more enduring and long-lasting than either beliefs or attitudes (Limthanakom, Lauffer, Mujtaba, & Murphy Jr, 2008).
2. When you value authenticity, you don’t pretend to be something you’re not.
3. Our actions—even the ones we’re not proud of—usually make sense when we look at them as attempts to get our needs met.
4. If you value education or learning, you love the pursuit of knowledge.

Being frugal involves spending money carefully and being thrifty. Frugality isn’t something everyone will understand, and that’s OK. You don’t mind being different and likely love the idea of going against the grain. Whether you’re writing a novel or making crafts, creativity is an expressive part of human nature. When you experience long-term distress, your well-being suffers.

personal values examples & how to live by yours

Recognizing which values are most important to you can clarify why you make certain choices and, over time, align your decisions with these values to lead a more meaningful life. By understanding your value system, you can make more consistent, authentic decisions that reflect who you truly are (and who you want to be). Whether or not you’re aware of it, values are behind almost every decision you’ve made in your entire life, from where you live to who you spend time with, and what you eat for breakfast. You can take inspiration from a list of personal values examples as you brainstorm ideas. These examples can also help you see how core values can define your behavior or influence your decisions.

If you’re feeling lost and need some direction, living by your personal values can aid you in turning things around. Whether you’re building connections or deciding where to live, looking at your core values can guide you. Lastly, prioritizing your values can help you communicate what you need in the workplace, with loved ones, and with friends. Sharing these important feelings can improve your overall well-being, since repressing your emotions can have harmful health effects.

Now I react to feelings of not being appreciated more effectively—for example—by telling others how I would like to be treated. For me to begin living in alignment with my values, I first stopped being so mean, even when I felt that others deserved it. Living my values felt great, but I quickly discovered that some of my needs were not being met.

Or a man may micromanage other people at work because he still feels powerless from when his parents hit him as a child. As you are doing this activity, you may discover that there are ways that you could live in closer alignment with your personal values. It may be hard to follow through on some of the actions you identified. Maybe you would need to have some difficult conversations. It’s quite easy to go with the flow and lose sight of our values.

Creativity

Challenges can stem from distractions, lack of focus, or unclear goals. Explore their stories for motivation and insight into achieving your dreams. The tricky thing about values, though, is that we all hold different ones. For each of us who loses track of our values, the outcome will look different. And many of us have never asked ourselves what our values are or what it would look like it we weren’t living them. Next, write down what you could do differently next time.

Also, try to make sure that these values represent different parts of yourself. Personal growth involves trying to be better than you were before. This growth can be related to emotions, health, or anything else. Open-mindedness means you’re quite open to new perspectives.

It’s hard work that can make you confront behaviors, decisions, or actions that don’t align with the person you’d like to be. Your values also give you a better understanding of who you are. They help you work toward your dreams instead of against them. When you make decisions aligned with your personal values, you feel like your truest self. Values often form a network rather than isolated traits, with overlaps and connections among them. Integrity may intertwine with truth, honesty, and courage, creating a complex web of personal principles.

Plus, the hard internal work can make you more confident, creative, and in control of your emotions. Personal values influence your behaviors, relationships, and everyday life. They guide you through important decision-making, influence personal development, and carve your ideal career path. In our fast-paced world, finding our true direction is crucial.

If you’re loyal, you support others through thick and thin. Caring about your wellness and health goals will benefit you in the long run. Sticking to your exercise routine and what are your values a healthy diet promotes longevity. Accountability means taking ownership of your current situation.

It was during a „particularly hard grief week“ when Abrielle, 24, decided to embark on some retail therapy. She used to love thrifting with her dad, and no one loved a good deal more than he did. Kayden is only 11 years old, he shouldn’t have to know the devastating pain of loss. But having a supportive community will go a long way in making him feel a little less alone.