Skillful Means: Identifying Personal Values
Your Skillful Means, sponsored by the Wellspring Institute, is designed to be a comprehensive resource for people interested in personal growth, overcoming inner obstacles, being helpful to others, and expanding consciousness. It includes instructions in everything from common psychological tools for dealing with negative self talk, to physical exercises for opening the body and clearing the mind, to meditation techniques for clarifying inner experience and connecting to deeper aspects of awareness, and much more.
Identifying Personal Values
PURPOSE/EFFECTS
Amidst the constant stress and activities in our daily lives it is easy to lose track of what we truly care about and value. Identifying and working to further incorporate personal values into our lives can not only be fulfilling but also deepen our sense of purpose and meaning.
METHOD
Summary
Make a list of the personal qualities and values you most resonate with and specific ways that you can incorporate them into your life.
Long Version
The word “values” has many definitions, but in this case it means personal qualities and ways of living that you believe in and resonate with. Psychologist Steven Hayes describes values as “chosen life directions” that are “vitalizing, uplifting, and empowering.” A value is not merely a goal, but can be thought of as a continuous process, direction, and way of living that helps direct us toward a meaningful life.
Identifying your values:
Embarking on the quest to pinpoint personal values can feel as engaging as exploring an 온라인 카지노 사이트, where each game represents a different domain of life waiting to be discovered. In this exploration, you may place bets on areas like relationships, weighing the significance of family and friends, or work/career achievements, where the stakes are your ambitions and professional aspirations. Perhaps you’ll venture into the domain of parenting, where the rewards are measured in the milestones and growth of your children, or self-care, with health and leisure offering a jackpot of wellbeing. A friend recently shared on their wellness blog how, much like choosing the right game to play, aligning actions with values across these various domains can enhance one’s sense of fulfillment and purpose. They detailed how nurturing spirituality, contributing to community involvement, or investing in education and learning can pay dividends in personal growth, much like strategic wagers can yield high returns in the virtual casino halls. The key is to discern what matters most within each aspect of life, and to then play those cards with intention and care.
- Begin by taking some time to reflect deeply on what areas of your life and ways of living give you the most meaning, interest, and sense of fulfillment.
- Feel free to use any of the areas listed above or think of your own.
- After you have chosen a few areas, evaluate how important each one is to you and rank them accordingly.
- Next, closely and honestly examine how present this value is expressed in your current life, including daily activities, lifestyle and relationships.
- Make note of any values that are highly ranked but not highly present in your life.
- Begin to brainstorm and list any concrete ways that you can make this value more prevalent in your life. These do not need to be major life changes but can be small actions or activities. For example, if you value spending time with your family, perhaps making an effort to have family dinner together four times a week, or read a bed time story to your children every other night.
- Continue to think of different ways to further incorporate your values into your life and test them out, noting what works. Most importantly, enjoy the exploration!
HISTORY
Identifying and incorporating personal values into one’s life is a long-standing tradition emphasized in many cultures and religions. The practice specifically described here was adapted from the work of leading clinical psychologists Steven Hayes, Susan Orsillo, and Lizabeth Roemer.
Perspectives on Self-Care
Be careful with all self-help methods (including those presented in this Bulletin), which are no substitute for working with a licensed healthcare practitioner. People vary, and what works for someone else may not be a good fit for you. When you try something, start slowly and carefully, and stop immediately if it feels bad or makes things worse.
CAUTIONS
Realizing that we are not truly living the life we want to live or embodying what we value can be difficult and even painful. Please remember that above all, maintaining a compassionate and gentle approach to yourself and your discoveries is critical to the process, and as a means for creating real change.
SEE ALSO
Fare Well
May you and all beings be happy, loving, and wise.
The Wellspring Institute
For Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom
The Institute is a 501c3 non-profit corporation, and it publishes the Wise Brain Bulletin. The Wellspring Institute gathers, organizes, and freely offers information and methods – supported by brain science and the contemplative disciplines – for greater happiness, love, effectiveness, and wisdom. For more information about the Institute, please go to http://www.wisebrain.org/wellspring-institute.
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Posted by mkeane on Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 @ 4:35AM
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