How to Identify Your Personal Core Values

|A wellness blog like the one you have just landed on is a great place to become more informed about topics focusing on mental health such as anxiety and depression or to explore strategies centered around self-care or even how to build self-compassion within yourself. ​

In order to put all of this new found health and wellness knowledge into practice, it can be important to dig deeper and be able to clearly identify the core values or beliefs that influence our thoughts, behaviours and even the path we take in life. This article will explore the concept of core values and includes a free worksheet for you to put into practice.

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What are Core Values?

PsychologyToday.com explains that core "values are a set of attitudes, unique to each individual, which govern our behavior and guide the way we look at the world." Essentially, core values are the beliefs, ideas, and concepts we have about ourselves and the world around us that help steer us in the direction we would like our life to head.

I especially like this quote about the fact that core values can be a guide or direction to follow in a world with so many unknowns. Being able to identify and remind ourselves the inherent core values are that within each of us can help us to get back on track when life takes a turn for the worse.
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“Core values serve as a lighthouse when the fog of life seems to leave you wandering in circles; when you encounter that moment where every decision is a tough one and no choice seems to clearly be the better choice.”  ~ J. Loren Norris

​​So now you might be thinking, if core values are already there inside each of us, what's the point in exploring or concretely identifying these personal beliefs?  Great question! Some of the reasons for knowing our core beliefs include:

• Identifying how our behaviour or decisions relate to the core beliefs we have and if the way we are behaving matches with how we want to treat ourselves and others
• Applying our personal core values to match with business or career goals in order to achieve success or fulfillment in this area of life quicker
• Expanding on our inherent strengths and to use these in the areas of our life that these qualities are not being used to their full extent
• Improving the relationship we have with ourselves and others from knowing more about who we are on the inside
• Clarifying our current priorities in life and focusing on what's more important

Ask yourself: How could knowing your own core values help you in your current life?

How to Identify Your Personal Core Values

There are many different ways that you can explore and identify your own personal core values including:

• take an online quiz
• reflective journaling
• brain dump or mindmapping
• check out a massive core values list 
• chat with a counsellor or other health coach

​I have created a free worksheet to help you to Identify Your Core Values which can help you to explore:
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• accomplishments and meaningful experiences
• strengths and areas of importance in your life
• the main themes of your internal beliefs that make up your core values​​​

Grab your copy of the free worksheet:​

As we grow and evolve as people, our core values may change over time, so ​you may want to identify your personal core values with the help of this worksheet at different intervals of change throughout your life, such as entering adulthood, changing careers or beginning a family, for example.

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What are Heather's Core Values?

I bet you're wondering if I practice identifying my own core values.. and the answer is, absolutely! I personally believe that being able to identify and explore these inherent core values that are within each of us is both important for living in the present moment and can also help us grow as individuals into the future.

Here are my own core values:
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Authenticity
I believe that we are all unique beings and, although we may have similarities, we each have a special trademark on this planet. As such, I strive to be true to myself and to encourage others around me embrace their own core values.

Compassion
I have always had an innate concern for others and an ability to sense others emotional distress or state of being. This has led me to choose a profession in the helping field in order to gain skills in being able to communicate my desire to support another individual.

Empathy
I strongly believe that, as a therapist, being allowed to step inside another persons perspective in order to start to understand their concerns is an essential role in the therapeutic process and can be catalyst for the change process to begin. I feel that this core value also translates within my daily life and remains inherent in my communication and connection with others.

Self-Awareness
I actively participate in my own personal therapy as well as individual and peer-supervision in order to focus on personal growth and maintain my emotional and psychological well-being. I feel it is important to spend time on my own internal needs in order to be fully present and focused in a therapeutic setting.

Experience
Having traveled to several continents and lived overseas for a number of years, I have a sense of desire to explore and experience other cultures, learn new traditions and meet people from a different walk of life from my own. I feel gaining worldly experience helps me to grow as a person and opens my mind to new possibilities.

Enjoyment
Celebrating the moments, however big or small, that make us happy can boost our self-esteem and well-being, and create stronger connections with others. For me, those moments of true enjoyment come from having a really good cup of coffee, finally making it to the summit of a hike, or having a chat with a friend filled with laughter and smiles.

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I hope it will be helpful for you to explore your own core values & don't forget to grab your free worksheet. Feel free to share your findings in the comments below!

Other Personal Development Resources:

• 10 Health Benefits of Yoga​
• The Anatomy of a Great Self-Care Routine

​References: psychologytoday.com, threadsculture.com

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