The Things We Value and What We can Prioritize

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I have made many decisions in the past, and when I look back at them, I wonder, ‘what was my reason for doing this’

Sometimes I make decisions without much retrospecting because that is how things have always been and should remain the same.

Only recently did I discover how influenced my current decisions are based on my past experiences and the meanings I’ve attached to certain things.

As humans, we make decisions daily, and sometimes without thinking thoroughly. Most of our choices are influenced by our experiences and personal values that we’ve adopted over the years.

So what are values, and how do they define us?

Values are beliefs that hold a priority in our lives, like family, education, friendships, health, and trust. They are always present with us, yet we are unaware of them.

They have shaped you as a person into who you are today, where you are, and what you do.

To every individual, there is a unique meaning attached to values as goals. And this slowly changes over time with every stage of our lives.

In short, values serve as pointers that direct which way we want to go. The realization of our values influences the independent decisions we make.

Hence it is essential to make choices that we trust and not based on the opinions of the environment.

The next question is, did you choose your values yourself?

This is tricky because we are sometimes unaware of where we pick up certain beliefs. The family is where we adopt most values.

When we progress through life, the experiences we encounter influence our choices.

How to make good decisions with your values

1. Identify your values

The first step requires some self-reflection. This involves taking time to list at least your five most important values.

There is this fantastic website I used to identify my values, and that has helped me be more assertive with myself and my actions.

It lists 62 values to choose and prioritize those you identify with most. The link to the test is here.

2. Remember your values

As the days go by, it may be difficult to remember our values. One thing that can help with that is creating a vision board of what you desire to uphold.

This is a fun and expressive part where you can be creative and define your priorities.

Pinterest is the best place to find inspiration and lovely images. Canva is another helpful resource for compiling them to create a custom-made board.

3. Live out your values

Now it’s time to incorporate our values into our lifestyle and strive to achieve them one day at a time. Getting the hang of things may be difficult at first, but the journey brings effortless with time.

Values enable us to live by a standard, a defined boundary we have set for ourselves to strive to live a better and more fulfilled life.

Dee.