Values to Live By

People tend to assume they know their values intimately but often times, we do not give them as much credit or thought as we think we do. When we are not familiar with our values, we do not always live in accordance with what we truly want and believe. And if we are living in a manner that contradicts our most important values, we become very uncomfortable and unsatisfied with our actions and our daily life.

            Now there are many things that can be explored as values, but to get you started here are a few values to consider. Rank them 1-10. 1 is most important and 10 is least important.

            Family

            Adventure

            Love

            Comfort

            Stability

            Money

            Friendship

            Empathy

            Honesty

            Individuality

After you rank these 10 values, consider if they are being fulfilled in your life. When we live in accordance with our values, then we feel more confident, satisfied, and content with our lifestyle and who we are and what we contribute to the world. Consider the changes you can make to better satisfy your top values. Remember, that all values are relevant; just be honest with yourself about which take the top spots. If you notice you are spending a lot of time and energy on a value that is ranking at number 10 but not a lot on your number 1 ranking, what would need to shift?

It is also worthwhile to note that sometimes we are taught to value something, so we believe that we should, but in reality, we do not truly believe or care much for that value. We simply follow it because someone and somewhere we were taught to abide by it. Again, this causes a dissonance between what we truly want and believe and what we do. Knowing your values can help you live your life based on what you truly believe and when you can do that, things start to make more sense and happiness is more likely to come out.

If you need help setting exploring, establishing, or living by your values, do not hesitate to reach out. Counseling and art therapy is available to Illinois residents through B3 Yoga & Wellness Center, as well as courses and coaching available through Brittany B's Courses for Esteem (teachable.com) for individuals all over the world.