Understanding Your Values

Read Time: 3 mins

Values represent the principles that guide us, shaping how we live, work, and interact with the world. They define what’s meaningful to us and help us understand the kind of person we aspire to be. Living in alignment with our values often brings greater satisfaction, purpose, and a deeper sense of thriving.

Values aren’t just abstract ideals—they’re expressed in our actions and choices, especially when navigating challenges. They serve as a compass, directing us toward decisions that reflect who we are at our best.

The Role of Values in Meaningful Living

There’s a common misconception that values are simply “discovered” as if they’re hidden within. In reality, values are chosen and shaped by intentional, thoughtful reflection. Choosing your values allows you to decide what matters most, setting the foundation for a purposeful life.

Values exercises are powerful tools that can help you clarify these choices, especially in areas where you may feel uncertain or disconnected from what truly matters. They offer structured reflection that brings your core values into sharper focus, helping you live more intentionally.

Exploring Valued Life Domains

The “Exploring Valued Domains” exercise, often used in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), is a structured way to explore values across different areas of your life. This exercise helps clarify which life domains resonate most and assesses your current satisfaction with each. It’s a valuable way to examine areas where you feel aligned with your values—and those where you may want to focus more.

Through this exercise, you’ll reflect on various life domains that can be important sources of meaning, such as:

• Family and Relationships: What kind of relationships do you want to foster? How do you want to interact with family and friends?
• Work and Career: Beyond tasks and titles, consider what you want your work to represent. How do you want to be known professionally?
• Health and Wellbeing: Reflect on the qualities you wish to embody in terms of physical health and mental wellbeing.
• Spirituality and Connection: Think about how you view the world beyond the material. This could be through spirituality, nature, or a sense of something greater.

Each domain invites reflection, rating the importance of each area and your satisfaction with how you live these values today. For example, if you rate family highly, but satisfaction is low, it may highlight an area for growth or change. These ratings aren’t about achieving perfection but about noticing gaps and choosing to act in ways that reflect your true self.

Bridging the Gap Between Values and Action

Values-based exercises like this one are not about finding the “right” values but about clarifying and honoring what matters to you. Recognising where values are strong or neglected is a step toward alignment and can often illuminate where we might face challenges or doubts. Noticing a gap between values and actions can be uncomfortable, yet this discomfort signals an opportunity for intentional change.

Reflecting on questions such as, “What stops me from living this value fully?” or “How might I bring more of this value into my daily life?” helps to identify practical steps that lead toward a more meaningful life.

Values in the Workplace

Values play a crucial role in workplace wellbeing and satisfaction. In professional settings, they help define the qualities we want to bring to our roles, shaping how we collaborate, lead, and contribute to our teams. Being mindful of these values can influence your career trajectory, relationships with colleagues, and overall job satisfaction.

If you’d like to explore values further or understand how they relate to your professional life, get in touch to discuss how values-based coaching can support your growth.