A large part of developing friendships, community, and a sense of belonging begins with understanding one’s personal values. In fact, research cites knowing and using values and strengths each day as leading to more people reporting feeling fulfilled, content, and that they are thriving.
Try a simple value sort activity to guide your decisions now and into the future.
- Take a look at the following values list:
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- Authenticity
- Achievement
- Adventure
- Authority
- Autonomy
- Balance
- Beauty
- Boldness
- Compassion
- Challenge
- Citizenship
- Community
- Competency
- Contribution
- Creativity
- Curiosity
- Determination
- Fairness
- Faith
- Fame
- Friendships
- Fun
- Growth
- Happiness
- Honesty
- Humor
- Influence
- Inner Harmony
- Justice
- Kindness
- Identify any values not listed here and add them.
- Select your top 10 values – remember there is no right or wrong. And yes, it will be hard, but try and decipher what is most important to you from this list.
- From that list of 10 values, can you narrow them down to 5 top values?
- How about 3?
- Lastly, think about ways these values fit within your relationships, work, and hobbies.
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This exercise is meant to challenge you to think about what matters most. Once you have your top 3 values, start to reflect on how those values are supported or hindered in your current roles and responsibilities. Does your environment bring out the best version of yourself? If you feel lost, consider exploring alternative options, finding and meeting with a mentor, and/or speaking with those who know you best.
*If you or someone you care about is struggling with mental health, we can help. Contact us at Diversus Health to request an appointment with our mental health providers. If you need immediate assistance, call our crisis hotline at 844-493-8255, or text ‘TALK’ to 38255.