Values are deeply held views of what we find worthwhile. They may come from many sources such as parents, peers, religion, and culture. Often the values we profess to have may not be the same as what is actually manifesting in our life. This can be as a result of our underlying beliefs, which unconsciously guide our behavior as we try to meet our human needs.
Becoming very clear and specific about our values is a step towards identifying our underlying beliefs and overcoming the barriers that prevent us from embodying our best self. One way to clarify our highest values is to create a detailed vision of the life we would like to be living, and from that identify the values it represents. To explore this further consider the following questions:
What is the vision of your ideal life and your best self?
What values does that vision represent or reflect?
In terms of values, what is actually showing up in your life right now?
What are the underlying beliefs in that part of your life?