Values Clarification

What are values?

Values are “fundamental attitudes guiding our mental processes and behavior” that “produce the belief that life is meaningful and serve as a measure of how meaningful one’s actions are, that is, consistent with that person’s value system” (Vyskocilova et al., 2015). Acting contrary to our values leads to guilt, self- deception, anger, frustration with others, self-loathing, shame, and all sorts of other unhelpful and unpleasant things. When we have integrity, when our actions line up with our Values, we tend to feel peace instead of turmoil, connection instead of discord, and greater joy in our lives.

How do I know if I value something?

When we value something we put our money, time, and resources into it. You might value many traits to a degree, but at some intersections in life you have to choose which ones are worth more to you.

Values vs. Goals

Values are like a direction (“Let’s hike north”) Goals are like a destination (“Let’s hike to that summit”) Both are good. Because values are about who we are in the present moment, they are something that we can always act upon, Goals depend on many outside factors. Values are all about the process and the direction we are moving towards, not some end destination.

If values are so important, how come we don’t live them?

Living a valued life includes discomfort. Doing something good- like making new friends, serving others, creating art, making YouTube videos, it all requires vulnerability, maybe some anxiety, or disappointment. We get to choose what is most important to us. Is it living a pain- free life, or living your values? Most people would say the most important thing to them is to live their values, to have good relationships, to help others, to create beauty in the world, even if that means there is some discomfort. Sometimes we just need to be reminded of what is most important to us, and not just avoid discomfort.

The importance of clarifying our values

Having well-identified and clarified values can help someone “reflect on moral dilemmas” (Vyskocilova et al., 2015). On the other hand, in people who do not have well-clarified values or people who have conflicting values, moral dilemmas can lead to stress and anxiety, and even feelings of helplessness.

Values clarification is, therefore, a valuable tool which can help people refine their value systems in a low-risk environment, as opposed to having to refine one’s value system in a high-risk situation, such as when being faced with a moral dilemma in life.