Values are the foundation of who we are. They drive our decision making when it comes to saving or spending money. In addition, they shape our beliefs, our actions, and our interactions with the world around us. As parents, it’s important that we instill a strong sense of values in our children and let me know why our values matter. But how can we do that if we’re not sure what our own values are? In this blog post, we’ll explore some ways to help you identify your own values so that you can pass them on to your children.

Why are values important?

1. Know yourself. This may seem like an obvious place to start, but it’s important to take some time to really get to know yourself. What motivates you? What makes you happy? What do you believe in? How important is family? When you have a better understanding of who you are, it will be easier to identify the values that are important to you.
2. Pay attention to your emotions. Our emotions can be powerful indicators of what we value. If something makes us feel good, it’s likely that it aligns with our values. For example, if you feel proud after volunteering at a local soup kitchen, chances are that one of your values is helping others. On the other hand, if you feel guilty after eating a pint of ice cream in one sitting, one of your values might be health or self-control. Paying attention to our emotions can help us narrow down which values are most important to us.
3. Consider what motivates you? What gets you excited? What makes you want to get up and do it right now? If you think of something, this is a value.
4. Who do you admire? Why do you admire them? Chances are, the qualities that you admire in others are also qualities that you value yourself. For example, if you admire someone for their strength in adversity, one of your values might be resilience. Likewise, if you admire someone for their ability to always see the best in people, one of your values might be optimism. Use your role models as a starting point for identifying your own values.
5. Make a list. Once you’ve given some thought to the above questions, it’s time to start making a list of possible values. Don’t worry about being comprehensive at this stage; just brainstorm whatever comes to mind. Some possible values include things like family, friendship, honesty, integrity, compassion, forgiveness, and courage. Once you have a list of potential values, you can start narrowing it down by considering which ones are most important to you and which ones align with your actions and emotions (as discussed in steps 2 and 3).

I have an easy and free tool that will help you identify your values in 90 seconds!

One more thing:

Make identifying values a goal today. Learn how to break down a goal and make it easier by clicking here. Take some time to reflect on your own personal values today. Identifying what is important to you is the first step in living a life that is authentic and fulfilling. And once you know what your values are, you can begin teaching them to your children so that they can live happy and successful lives as well!