What are VALUES? Part 2

Get FREE printable lists in PDF format: 245 core values and 240 positive character traits - Get to know yourself and others better!

DISCOVERY, Preferences

What do YOU want to be known for? What is most important to you in life? What DRIVES you, motivates you, fills you, or fulfills you?

Whether we actively choose them or not, our core VALUES guide our decisions in how to spend our time, energy, and other resources. They influence our choice of words, gestures, and tone of voice — even our attention span! While our values can change over time, we cannot help but be role models of our current top values. What do yours reveal about you?

Below you will find two resources that I have completed for your FREE use. One is a list of 245 VALUES, and the other is a similar list: 240 positive character traits. Both are available as printable PDFs on Google Drive. Use them to get to know yourself better — and feel free to share them with others, as needed.

First go through the entire list, circling/underlining/highlighting any words that “speak” to you or that stand out from the crowd. Put a star by any that seem MOST important to you, in any aspect of your life.
Put the list aside while you do something distracting, then return to it later to narrow the list down to your current top 10. You may need to refine or combine terms. For example, if parenting is SUPER important in your life, which VALUE is most important: Relationships? Reliability? If achieving GOALS is your thing, what is it REALLY that drives you? Clarity? Focus? Motivation? Progress? Productivity?
You may want to prioritize your list, from most important VALUE that you live by, to the tenth most important. Definitely do some self-reflection to discover your TOP THREE CORE VALUES. Ask questions similar to these: “why do I…? what attracts me to…? what is it about…?”
Take it a step further by DEFINING each of your top values or traits. What does it mean to YOU, personally? How is it evident in your life? How can you reflect it better, or make it more of a priority? What obstacles do you face in manifesting your top values? How can you bring each of your top values or traits into each aspect of your life? For example, how can you show more COURAGE in your job, your parenting, and your marriage? Make lists, jot down notes, and just let yourself PLAY with these ideas and dreams. Doodle your discoveries, or write your top 3 in 3 different places: your car, your bathroom, your desk…
Focus on ONE of your top values or traits at a time for some length of time — anywhere from one day to one month. Implement any action steps you invent, and try to stay aware of how much you model that ONE value/trait, throughout your day, and in each aspect of your life. Record any new insights, taking time to celebrate your own awareness and growth. BUILD the traits you value most, mindfully, one decision at a time. And when you go off track, remember that you are only ever ONE decision away from going the RIGHT direction!