Home Base Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: What Are Your Values?
A value is a life direction, an internal compass that guides us throughout life. Values are different from goals that have an end-point. Values are often life-long. Perhaps what we would like to be remembered for, or written as our epitaph, our headstone inscription.
Values give life meaning and purpose.
To identify our values, we can think about what it is in life that is REALLY important to us, the most important, what gives our life meaning and purpose.
Acceptance: to be open to and accepting of myself, others, life, etc.
Adventure: to be adventurous, to actively seek, create, or explore novel or stimulating experiences
Assertiveness: to respectfully stand up for my rights and request what I want
Authenticity: to be authentic, genuine, real; to be true to myself
Beauty: to appreciate, create, nurture or cultivate beauty in myself, others, the environment, etc.
Caring: to be caring towards myself, others, the environment, etc.
Challenge: to keep challenging myself to grow, learn, improve
Compassion: to act with kindness towards those who are suffering
Connection: to engage fully in whatever I am doing, and be fully present with others
Contribution: to contribute, help, assist, or make a positive difference in myself or others
Conformity: to be respectful and obedient of rules and obligations
Cooperation: to be cooperative and collaborative with others
Courage: to be courageous or brave; to persist in the face of fear, threat, or difficulty
Creativity: to be creative or innovative
Curiosity: to be curious, open-minded and interested; to explore and discover
Encouragement: to encourage and reward behavior that I value in myself or others
Equality: to treat others as equal to myself, and vice versa
Excitement: to seek, create and engage in activities that are exciting, stimulating or thrilling
Fairness: to be fair to myself or others
Fitness: to maintain or improve my fitness; to look after my physical and mental health and well-being
Flexibility: to adjust and adapt readily to changing circumstances
Freedom: to live freely; to choose how I live and behave, or help others do likewise
Friendliness: to be friendly, companionable, or agreeable towards others
Forgiveness: to be forgiving towards myself or others
Fun: to be fun-loving; to seek, create, and engage in fun-filled activities
Generosity: to be generous, sharing and giving, to myself or others
Gratitude: to be grateful for and appreciative of the positive aspects of myself, others and life
Honesty: to be honest, truthful, and sincere with myself and others
Humor: to see and appreciate the humorous side of life
Humility: to be humble or modest; to let my achievements speak for themselves
Industry: to be industrious, hardworking, dedicated
Independence: to be self-supportive, and choose my own way of doing things
Intimacy: to open up, reveal, and share myself – emotionally or physically – in my close personal relationships
Justice: to uphold justice and fairness
Kindness: to be kind, compassionate, considerate, nurturing or caring towards myself or others
Love: to act lovingly or affectionately towards myself or others
Mindfulness: to be conscious of, open to, and curious about my here-and-now experience
Order: to be orderly and organized
Open-mindedness: to think things through, see things from other points of view, and weigh the evidence fairly
Patience: to wait calmly for what I want
Persistence: to continue resolutely, despite problems or difficulties
Pleasure: to create and give pleasure to myself or others
Power: to strongly influence or wield authority over others (leadership, taking charge)
Reciprocity: to build relationships in which there is a fair balance of giving and taking
Respect: to be respectful towards myself or others; to be polite, considerate and show positive regard
Responsibility: to be responsible and accountable for my actions
Romance: to be romantic
Safety: to secure, protect, or ensure the safety of myself and others Self-awareness: to be aware of my own thoughts, feelings, and actions Self-care: to look after my health and well-being, and get my needs met Self-development: to keep growing, advancing or improving in knowledge, skills, character, or life experience Self-control: to act in accordance with my own ideals Sensuality: to create, explore and enjoy experiences that stimulate the five senses Sexuality: to explore or express my sexuality Spirituality: to connect with things bigger than myself Skillfulness: to continually practice and improve my skills, and apply myself fully when using them Supportiveness: be supportive, helpful, encouraging, and available to myself or others Trust: to be trustworthy, to be loyal, faithful, sincere and reliable