Identify your core values.

Checklist for Personal Values

This exercise is designed to help you better understand your most significant values.

Step 1: What I Value Most...

From this list of values (both work and personal), select the ten most important to you as guides for behaving or as components of a valued way of life. Feel free to add any values of your own to this list.

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Achievement
Advancement & promotion
Adventure
Affection (love and caring)
Arts
Challenging problems
Change and variety
Close relationships
Community
Competence
Competition
Cooperation
Country
Creativity
Decisiveness
Democracy
Ecological awareness
Economic security
Effectiveness
Efficiency
Ethical practice
Excellence
Excitement
Fame
Financial gain
Financial Security
Friendships
Growth
Having a family
Helping other people
Helping society
Honesty
Independence
Influencing others
Inner harmony
Integrity
Intellectual status
Involvement
Job tranquility
Knowledge
Leadership
Location
Loyalty
Meaningful work
Nature
Being around people who are open and honest
Order (tranquility, stability, conformity)
Personal development
Physical challenge
Pleasure
Power and authority
Privacy
Public service
Quality of what I take part in
Quality relationships
Recognition (respect from others, status)
Religion
Reputation
Responsibility & accountability
Security
Self-Respect
Serenity
Sophistication
Stability
Status
Time freedom
Truth
Wisdom
Work with others
Working alone

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Step 2: Elimination

Now that you have identified ten imagine that you are only permitted to have five values. Which five would you give up? Cross them off. Now imagine that you are only permitted four. Which would you give up? Cross it off.

Now cross off another to bring our list down to three. And another, to bring our list down to two.

Finally cross off one of your two values. Which is the one item on the 1st that you care most about?

Step 3: Reflect on Your Beliefs: Spend time introspecting and journaling to identify the values that are most important to you.

1. Prioritize Your Values: Rank your values in order of importance. This can help you make clearer decisions when values conflict.

2. Align Your Actions: Consciously align your daily actions, decisions, and goals with your core values.

3. Seek Support: Share your values and goals with supportive friends, family members, or a therapist who can provide encouragement and accountability.

4. Practice Mindfulness: Regular mindfulness or meditation practices can help you stay connected to your values and reduce anxiety by promoting emotional regulation and self-awareness.

By living in harmony with your core values, you can create a more meaningful and fulfilling life that is conducive to reduced anxiety and improved overall well-being.