A value is considered to be a principle, standard, or quality considered to be worthwhile or desirable (American Heritage College Dictionary). For several years, I’ve been trying to identify my values, and sometimes it can get a little tricky. You know why? Because sometimes they change. And because sometimes I say that something is a value, but I don’t live by it.
Therefore, I’ve altered the above definition: A value is a principle, standard, or quality that is lived out, considered to be worthwhile or desirable. If I value something, I’m going to show it, right? And yet, not every principle or standard is worthwhile or desirable to everyone. We each value different things.
But how can we identify our values? Perhaps the best way to start is simply to brainstorm. Read through the following words and circle the ones that resonate with you:
accomplishment, affirmation, ambition, beauty, being in control, caution, career, collaboration, community, compassion, competence, competition, consistency with biblical teaching, creativity, determination, diligence, efficiency, encouragement, enlightenment, excellence, faithfulness, family, forgiveness, forward-looking, freedom, frugality, fulfillment, fun, gentleness, genuineness, good taste, growth, hard work, honesty, humility, humor, impacting people, independence, influence, integrity, joy, lack of pretense, love, marriage, making money, mentoring, obedience, orderliness, patience, peace, perfection, performance, persistence, personal power, physical vitality, productivity, purity, quality, recognition, relaxation, respect for people, respect for life, respect for the environment, risk taking, security, self-esteem, self-expression, sensitivity, service, silence, sincerity, solitude, spiritual growth, stability, success, temperance, tolerance, tongue control, tranquility, trust, truth, winning, worship, vulnerability
Try to circle no more than 12-15 words/phrases. Also, feel free to add words that are not on the list. Then, just sit with this for a little bit. Over the next few days, I’ll flesh out the rest of the process for you.
What’s the point in doing this? Once you identify your values, you’ll be able to make conscious and intentional choices that will help you keep your energy level up and keep you living in alignment with your priorities and goals. And believe me, it’s worth it!
