Have you ever noticed how uncomfortable you can sometimes feel when things are happening around you that don’t align with your personal values and morals?
This might be if a school friend or work colleague is spoken to in an unkind manner or is being bullied, if you see someone steal from a shop or push in a line, or if others do not offer to help when needed.
Now imagine the internal distress that could be generated if your abilities to use actions and behaviours that allow you to live out your own life in accordance with your values were compromised in some way.
Values are the lens through which we see the world and they act as a set of rules through which we live by in order to create meaning in our lives.
Our abilities to act in accordance with our values may become impacted for many reasons, and often via situational or emotional factors, and if prolonged, we may experience symptoms simliar to or indicative of anxiety and depression.
When we are not in close contact with, or when our values are not present in our mind we lose the ability to use them as a guide or a compass to give us meaning or direction in our lives.
In a therapeutic setting it is important we identify and clarify what your values are and assess whether they are compromised by situational factors outside of your control, fusion with unhelpful thoughts, or both. What has changed in your life that has lead to these barriers and this inability to take action representative of your wants and needs?
Aside from obvious situational factors that may be outside your sphere of influence, fusion with thoughts of worry, self doubt and other unhelpful concepts, often paired with avoidance of situations that provoke uncomfortable feelings, can dictate how you then behave and as a result create a further disconnect from you and your values to the point where they may become forgotten or neglected. It is through re-connecting with your morals and values that you may generate greater life satisfaction and feel confident that the decisions you are making are driven by meaning and as a result enable you to be more true to yourself.
What do you want to stand for and what kind of person do you want to be in your home life, your intimate relationships, in your work life, as a parent, as a friend, as a human being in the bigger picture, what kind of mark do you want to leave? And what changes would you like to make today?
If you or someone you care about would like support to explore values, work towards letting go of symptoms of depression or anxiety, and find greater meaning from life, please contact our receptionist on 8361 7008 for more information and to discuss appointment options with one of our therapists.
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