Aim to feel better by living a meaningful life that matters to you! What do you want your life to be really about? Defining what matters to you and actively choosing what you want your life to be about is how you service living a meaningful life. It brings you closer to contentment, fulfilment and satisfaction!
What are values, difference to goals
- Values are chosen life directions based on what matters to you! They are something you do, not something you have, therefore they are never finished. Eg being a loving person is not something you achieve after a few months, it is a direction, an ongoing focus based on your intrinsic values.
- Goals require action and are what you obtain while walking a valued path. Goals are concrete achievable events, situations or objects. They can be completed, ticked off or finished. Goals assist us to help keep sight along a chosen direction like orienteering, finding your way from point to point on a map.
- It’s not easy though – lots of unpleasant thoughts and feelings, lots of distractions and the busy nature of life can unintentionally detour us away from our valued actions.
eg. you may value close friendship and support but anxiety-related or depressive thoughts and feelings act as a barrier from you being able to leave your home to socialise and see your friends.
Try this Values Identification Exercise
What do you value about each area below? Give it an importance rating out of 10.
Then give it a satisfaction rating out of 10
- Family
- Marriage and other intimate relationships
- Friendships
- Work or career
- Education, training and personal development
- Recreation, fun and leisure
- Spirituality
- Community life
- Environment and nature
- Health and self-care
If you have low satisfaction in some value domains yet these are important values to you it is time to set some small goals based on your values
Goal setting using SMART goals
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time limited
What is the smallest step to take on behalf of these values
5 steps in setting meaningful goals
- Summarise your values
- Set an immediate goal (today)
- Set some short term goals (next few days)
- Set some medium range goals (next few weeks/month)
- Set some long term goals (next few months)
If you have trouble acting on your values or have lost the focus on what matters to you or can’t see through the psychological smog of negativity, talk to your psychologist who can help you