🌿 Simple Exercises to Develop Values & Meaning
Becoming aware of our values is not about choosing the “right” ones. It’s about gently discovering what truly matters to us — and what gives our life a sense of meaning.
Often, we live by inherited values from family, culture, or habit. With awareness, we can begin to recognise what feels genuinely aligned for us.
Below are some simple exercises to help you explore this more deeply.
🧭 1. What Really Matters to Me?
Take a quiet moment and ask yourself:
“What truly matters to me in life?”
Let answers arise naturally. You might notice things like:
- Connection
- Honesty
- Freedom
- Growth
- Kindness
Write down whatever comes, without filtering. This is the beginning of uncovering your values.
🏷️ 2. The Values Naming Practice (Inspired by Brené Brown)
You can use the Brene Brown list of values to help create your list in the first exercise, and then again for this exercise.
Look at your list, or the Brene Brown List, and gently narrow it down, first, circling 10-15 values that feel important.
Then, reduce them to 5.
Finally, try to choose your top 2 core values.
Ask yourself as you go:
- “If everything else fell away, what would still matter most?”
This helps bring clarity and focus to what guides you in your every day life.
🪞 3. When Do I Feel Most Like Myself?
Reflect on moments when you felt:
- Alive
- Proud
- Fulfilled
- Deeply at ease
Ask yourself:
- “What was happening?”
- “What values were I living in that moment?”
Often, your values are already expressed in your meaningful experiences.
🌊 4. When Something Feels Off
Notice moments when something doesn’t feel right, for example:
- Feeling frustrated or resentful
- Feeling disconnected or drained
Ask yourself:
“What value is not being honoured here?”
Discomfort can often point toward values that matter deeply.
🐾 5. Values in Daily Life
During your day, pause and ask:
“Am I living in alignment with what matters to me right now?”
Not as a judgement, just as awareness.
You may notice small moments where you are:
- Speaking honestly
- Being kind
- Acting with courage
Values are expressed in simple, everyday actions.
🔄 6. The Meaning Reflection
At the end of the day, reflect briefly:
- “What felt meaningful today?”
- “What felt empty or automatic?”
Over time, this helps you see what brings a deeper sense of purpose, and it may mean revisiting your original values as you find that the deeper you go, different values rise up as more meaningful in your life.
🪶 7. Let Meaning Emerge
Sit quietly and reflect:
“What gives my life a sense of meaning?”
There is no need for a perfect answer.
Meaning is not something you must define once and for all. It often reveals itself gradually, through living.
🌱 A Gentle Reminder
Values are not rules you must follow perfectly. They are gentle directions and ways of orienting your life. You don’t need to have everything figured out.
Even becoming a little clearer about what matters is already a powerful step.
The goal is not to create a perfect life but to live in a way that feels true to what matters most to you.