Personal values are the beliefs and principles upon which your life depends. These help and guide you in deciding what is right and wrong, what is important, and how you wish to treat other people. Your personal values determine the decisions that you make, your goals and actions, and the relationships you have with others. In addition, these give you a sense of purpose and help you maintain focus when making crucial decisions and solving problems. Personal values are unique to everyone, depending on their background and experiences. By knowing your values, you will be able to lead an enriched and balanced life.
What are personal values?
A lot of us talk about living lives with values held close to us, but very few of us understand what those values are. Personal values are considered to be guiding principles for living life. They influence our choices, decisions, the people we surround ourselves with and even the professions we end up pursuing. Values are often confused with personality patterns, but they’re very different. Personalities are how people naturally tend to think, believe, act and feel. However, values are the things that really matter to us. For example, someone can be extroverted and prefer sociable settings which involve interactions with a lot of people. Someone who is an introvert might prefer situations where they can be alone or with fewer people. However, for both an extrovert and an introvert, certain values like kindness, loyalty and discipline might be the same. They might just express it in different ways.
Rather than measuring perfectly if you have been living by your values, ask yourself this “Did my decisions taken today bring me closer to the kind of person I want to be?"
50 Personal Values
The definitions of personal values can get very technical and de-personalised when you try to look them up on the internet. So, here is a values list which attempts to simplify the types of values for the people reading who prefer a more realistic and human version of what these values can look like.
Growth and Achievement
- AchievementAttempting to accomplish meaningful goals through consistent effort.
- LearningAcquiring new knowledge and skills through study, experiences or instruction.
- GrowthChanging the way you think, act and believe in accordance with your ideal version.
- DisciplineConsistently showing up to things that matter to you even when there is a lack of motivation.
- ExcellenceDoing your best rather than settling for the easiest option.
- CreativityWanting to communicate your ideas differently than others.
- PurposeA sense of living with intention and meaning.
- AmbitionA drive to be a better version of yourself.
- ResilienceBouncing back from an adversity without losing hope.
Relationships and Connection
- LoveCaring about and trusting someone deeply.
- KindnessTreating others with warmth and consideration.
- EmpathyTrying to see the world through someone’s lens.
- CompassionAttempting to make a person feel heard and understood.
- FriendshipBuilding connections based on trust, care and support.
- LoyaltyCaring and supporting the same people and causes even when times get difficult.
- RespectValuing the dignity and authenticity of others.
- ForgivenessLetting go of someone’s past mistake even though it’s hard.
- GenerosityBeing willing to give a part of your resources to someone who needs it.
Character and Integrity
- HonestyChoosing to speak the truth even when it’s uncomfortable
- ResponsibilityBeing accountable for your roles and expectations.
- AuthenticityLiving in alignment with your true self.
- HumilityWilling to admit one’s own mistakes and take others' perspectives.
- CourageWanting to do something even when there is a possibility of failing.
- AccountabilityAccepting one’s mistakes and working to improve.
- FairnessGiving everyone an equal chance to prove themselves.
- ReliabilityBeing someone who people can consistently depend on.
- Self-respectRecognizing and communicating your own value.
Freedom and Lifestyle
- FreedomMaking choices that you want independent of what others think.
- IndependenceLiving life with ownership and free will.
- AdventureBeing open to new and unfamiliar experiences.
- BalanceGiving equal attention to different parts of your life.
- HealthCaring for your emotional and physical well-being.
- PeaceFeeling regulated with yourself regardless of the circumstances.
- SimplicityValuing the authenticity in people and situations.
- FlexibilityBeing open to change your view of life.
- SecurityFeeling safe and wanting to keep others safe.
- MindfulnessAppreciating present more than the past or the future.
- AcceptanceAcknowledging reality and making peace with it.
Contribution and Society
- ServiceHelping and caring for others in your capacity.
- LeadershipGuiding and encouraging others towards a shared goal.
- JusticeBeing fair to yourself and others.
- CommunityFeeling connected to and contributing to other people.
- CollaborationWorking toward shared goals.
- Respect for diversityAppreciating others' perspectives and learning from it.
- GratitudeRecognising and appreciating the good things in life.
- StewardshipCarrying responsibility for people, objects and environment.
- LegacyHoping your actions positively influence others.
- WisdomGaining and imparting knowledge from past experiences.
Reflect On Your Values with Healo
A lot of us might know the meaning of these personal core values, but that isn’t enough. We act, think and feel emotions according to these values. We feel distressed when we find ourselves in situations or surrounded by people who don’t match our values, but we don’t often realise what is distressing us. What we also don’t realise is that we don’t have to do this alone. Identifying, appreciating and understanding what these values of life mean to us is meaningful work that might require other perspectives than just yours. We recognize that recognizing these patterns can be sometimes challenging and that’s exactly where Healo comes in. Healo is an AI mental health companion which can sit with you and try to make sense of what values hold the most importance in your life and how you can live your life in alignment with your values.
Because sometimes, greater clarity doesn’t come from finding new answers. It’s about understanding what has mattered to you all along.
