Building self-esteem: Value clarification

Hey Everyone, I hope you are doing well. In the past week, we talked about working on our self-esteem using the FAST method. One of the most important points of the fast method is sticking to your values. But some of us may not know what values to stick to, not everyone has reflected on this. If you are a religious person, you will likely know what values matter to you and they are typically rooted in your beliefs. But if you don’t believe in some specific way of living, you may need to reflect on the values that matter to you and this post will help you do so. 

Welcome to the world of understanding core values! These are the fundamental beliefs and principles that guide our decisions, define our priorities, and ultimately fuel our self-esteem. Think of them as your internal compass, pointing you towards a life that feels authentic and fulfilling.

So, what do core values look like? They're not always grand or flashy goals. They can be simple things like:

• Honesty: Always wanting to be truthful and upfront, even when it's tough.
• Kindness: Showing compassion and care towards others, big and small.
• Creativity: Embracing your unique ways of thinking and expressing yourself.
• Adventure: Seeking out new experiences and challenges to grow and learn.
• Balance: Making time for what matters most – work, relationships, and personal well-being.
• Remember, your core values are YOURS. They are what makes you, you!

But how do you get in touch with these hidden gems? Here are a few tips:

• Introspection Time: Take some quiet moments to reflect. Ask yourself: What truly brings me joy? What makes me feel proud? What stands out as important to me, even when things get tough?
• Life Audit: Examine your choices and habits. Do they align with your gut feeling of what's right? Does your everyday life reflect your priorities?
• Values in Action: Think about situations where you felt strongly, either positive or negative. What values were at play? This can reveal hidden priorities you may not have noticed.
• Seek Inspiration: Read biographies, watch movies, or talk to people you admire. How do their values shape their lives? See if any resonate with you.

To help you further explore the values that truly matter to you, we will do a short exercise. Reflect on the following values

1. Integrity: Doing the right thing, even when it's hard.
2. Empathy: Feeling what others feel and caring deeply.
3. Gratitude: Appreciating what you have and saying thank you.
4. Resilience: Bouncing back from challenges and never giving up.
5. Curiosity: Asking questions and wanting to learn more.
6. Humility: Knowing your limits and valuing others' contributions.
7. Sustainability: Caring for the planet and living responsibly.
8. Authenticity: Being true to yourself and living with purpose.
9. Collaboration: Working together and achieving shared goals.
10. Accountability: Taking responsibility for your actions.
11. Passion: Chasing what ignites your soul.
12. Open-mindedness: Embracing different perspectives and ideas.

Activity: Sort the above-mentioned 12 values into three piles, the values that are most important, those that are important and the ones that are least important. You can leave out the definitions when sorting, they are there just to help you understand what each value means

This post is part of the Building Self-esteem series! You can find all the posts of the series linked here.