Values

Being nearer to our values give us a sense of purpose and meaning.

What are your values?

Write them down. You can use the link below to access a questionnaire to help understand what your values are.

How close are you to your values?

Deep down inside, what is important to you?

What do you want your life to stand for?

What sort of qualities do you want to cultivate as a person?

How do you want to be in your relationships with others?

Values are our heart’s deepest desires for the way we want to interact with and relate to the world, other people, and ourselves. They are leading principles that can guide us and motivate us as we move through life.

Values reflect what you want to do, and how you want to do it. They are about how you want
to behave towards your friends, your family, yourself, your environment, your work, etc.

Values are not the same as goals. Values involve ongoing action; they are like directions we keep moving in, whereas goals are what we want to achieve along the way. A value is like heading West; a goal is like the river or mountain or valley we aim to cross whilst traveling in that direction.

Goals can be achieved or ‘crossed off’, whereas values are ongoing. (No matter how far West you go, you never reach it!) For example, if you want to be a loving, caring, supportive partner, that is a value: it involves ongoing action.

In contrast, if you want to get married, that’s a goal – it can be ‘crossed off’ or achieved. If you want a better job, that’s a goal. Once you’ve got it – goal achieved. But if you want to fully apply yourself at work, contribute your best, and engage fully in what you’re doing, that’s a value: it involves ongoing action.

What are you values?

The Bull’s Eye

THE BULL’S EYE: Read through your values, then make an X in each area of the dart board, to represent where you stand today. An X in the Bull’s Eye (the centre of the board) means that you are living fully by your values in that area of life. An X far from Bull’s Eye means that you are way off the mark in terms of living by your values. There are four areas of valued living so you should mark four exes on the dart board.

Main Point

Doing activities that are closer to living fully with our values are likely to increase our mental healthiness. Recognising our values and how close we are can help us choose tasks, activities and relationships that are right for us.