What is Values-based Living and Why Does it Matter?

 Are you moving in the direction of the people, places, and things that are most meaningful to you…the kind of stuff that brings you joy and purpose on a daily basis?  If your answer is no or you are unsure, you may benefit from a quick overview on values-based living and how it can enhance your relationships, your career, your mental health, and your overall sense of well-being. 

 A values-based life is one where you continue to move toward the experiences and goals that provide you with a deep sense of meaning and purpose.   What matters most to you?  What do you stand for?  Values can guide you and act as a roadmap as you travel through life.  They help to keep you in alignment with what you deem most important in your life.

How Do You Figure Out What Matters Most to You?

Values clarification is an exciting exercise where you get clear on which direction you want to go. To simplify the process, take a look at the major areas of your life such as family, career, relationships, and fun. Values clarification work helps motivate you to make changes, to get excited about the present, and hopeful about your future.  

Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap, utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to encourage clients to assess all the areas that make up life; Harris describes values as “Your hearts deepest desires on how you want to behave as a human being. Values are not about what you want to get or achieve, they are about how you want to behave or act on an ongoing basis.” Here is a list of values, do any standout to you more than others?  Try to choose five values that resonate the most.

Abundance, Acceptance, Achievement, Compassion, Contribution, Courage, Creativity, Fairness, Faith, Family, Freedom, Gratitude, Growth, Independence, Justice, Kindness, Learning, Love and Belonging, Making a Difference, Nature, Persistence, Peace, Power and Influence, Recognition, Resourcefulness, Safety, Simplicity, Spirituality, Success, Travel, Trust, Uniqueness, Wealth, Well-Being, Wisdom, Health, Hope, Security, Self-Development.

Do any of these values speak to you?  If so, explore them further…why did you select the values you did from list?  Do you already practice any of your chosen values in your daily life?  Notice when you act on your values and how you feel when you move in the direction of the people, places, things, and activities that light you up. 

Happiness and fulfillment often do not just show up.  We must notice them, welcome them in, and be willing to openly experience values-based living without apology.  We need to move towards what matters most to us, and this can look different from one person to the next due to the uniqueness of each human being and their circumstances.

A values-based life in practice can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and a host of other challenges that affect humans throughout their lives.  While the reduction of anxiety symptoms or depressive symptoms can be a huge plus to many people seeking relief, a values-based life offers far more in the long run. Lasting peace and happiness can only be sustainable by making the choice to be, do, and have what matters most to you.

To live a life on purpose, filled with meaning is what truly makes the difference between just going through the motions of daily life, and actually feeling joy, satisfaction, and peace every day. This, of course, does not mean that you will not face challenges, all people do, however, you may find that to travel through tough times is less taxing when you are still focused on your values.

This is your invitation to design your life the way you see fit, a way that is centered around your personal values, a path that brings with it benefits that far outweigh the cost in time and energy of doing this initial values identification exercise.

 It is never too late to reevaluate what matters most to you and where you would like to spend your time and energy.  Once you select the values that stand out to you, dedicate the time to commit to taking action to live in ways that honor your chosen values and begin to experience the difference this makes in the levels of happiness, contentment, and fulfillment in your life.