Living Your Values

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Participants understand the meaning and importance of creating a personal value system.
• Participants identify their own personal values and the steps needed to live in accordance with those values.

MATERIALS NEEDED

• Index cards with values and definitions (one set per participant)
• Blank index cards for closing activity
• Pens/markers
• Whiteboard or flip chart
• Timer/clock

Part 1: Icebreaker Values Spectrum Activity

10 MINUTES

SETUP:

Create space in the room for participants to move around. Designate one side of the room as “Strongly Agree” and the opposite side as “Strongly Disagree.”

FACILITATOR SCRIPT:

“Today we’re going to explore our personal values. Let’s start with an activity called ‘Values Spectrum’ that will get us thinking and moving. I’m going to read several statements about values. After each statement, I’d like you to move yourself to one side of the room based on how much you agree or disagree with the statement. This side of the room [point] represents ‘Strongly Agree,’ and the opposite side [point] represents ‘Strongly Disagree.’ You can stand anywhere along this spectrum based on your personal feelings. After each statement, I’ll ask a few of you to share why you chose to stand where you did. There are no right or wrong answers here—we all have different values and perspectives, and that’s what makes our group discussions so rich. This activity will help us start thinking about what values really matter to us as individuals. Let’s begin with our first statement…”

SAMPLE STATEMENTS TO READ:

1. “It’s more important to be honest than to protect someone’s feelings.”
2. “Being independent is more valuable than having close relationships.”
3. “Being recognized for your achievements is as important as the achievements themselves.”
4. “Taking care of your own needs before helping others is necessary.”
5. “Following rules and traditions is essential for society to function well.”
6. “Experiencing joy and fun should be a priority in life.”
7. “Standing up for what you believe in is worth risking relationships.”

After Each Statement:

Ask 2-3 participants from different positions along the spectrum to briefly explain their thinking. Highlight that different positions reflect different personal values rather than right or wrong answers.

DEBRIEF:

• What did you notice about where you stood?
• Did any of your positions surprise you?
• Did you notice any patterns in your responses that might reveal what you truly value?

“This activity helps us see that values can vary widely between people, and sometimes we might even have conflicting values within ourselves, which we’ll explore more during today’s session.”

Part 2: Main Lesson

30 MINUTES

FACILITATOR SCRIPT:

“Now that we’ve warmed up, let’s talk about what values actually are. Values are principles, standards, qualities, or ways of being that are important to us and serve as guide or reminder about how we live our lives. They’re like an internal compass that helps us make decisions and determine what feels right or wrong for us personally. Values are different from goals, which have endpoints. Values are ongoing directions we can continually move toward. For example, ‘graduating high school’ is a goal, but ‘being educated’ might be the value behind it.

One important thing to understand is that sometimes our values can conflict with each other. For instance, you might value both independence and close relationships, but sometimes these can pull you in different directions. This can create what psychologists call ‘cognitive dissonance,’ that uncomfortable feeling when our actions don’t match what we believe or value. When we don’t live in line with our values, it can lead to stress, anxiety, and negative feelings about ourselves. On the flip-side, when our actions reflect our values, we tend to feel more fulfilled and at peace with our decisions, even when they’re difficult.”

Values Sorting Activity

15 MINUTES

“Now we’re going to explore a wide range of values to help you identify which ones matter most to you. Each of you will receive a values handout, which has many common values and their definitions.

You will sort these values into three categories:

1. Very important to me (fill in the circle)
2. Somewhat important to me (circle the circle)
3. Not as important to me right now (draw an “x” through the circle)

This isn’t about right or wrong answers—it’s about what resonates with you. As you sort through these, think about why certain values stand out to you. You’ll have about 10 minutes for this activity.”

Read aloud all of the values and their definitions. During the activity, move around the room to assist with definitions and answer questions.

Group Discussion

10 MINUTES

FACILITATOR SCRIPT:

“Let’s come back together and share some reflections.

• What values did you place in your ‘Very important’ category?
• Did any of your choices surprise you?
• Did you notice any patterns in which values were very important?”

Now, tell the participants to choose 10 of their top “Very Important” values choices.

Once the participants have chosen their top 10, challenge them to now choose the top 5 of those 10 values.

Once the participants have chosen their top 5, challenge them again to now choose their top 3 values.

“Now let’s talk about living in line with our values. Think about your top values. How well do your daily actions reflect these values? For example, if you value ‘health’ highly, are you making choices that support your physical and mental wellbeing? If you value ‘creativity,’ are you giving yourself opportunities to express that? Sometimes there’s a gap between what we value and how we actually live. This gap can cause that uncomfortable feeling I mentioned earlier, cognitive dissonance. The good news is that once we recognize this disconnect, we can start taking steps to align our actions with our values.”

DISCUSSION:

• “What are some examples of situations where your actions might not match your values?
• What gets in the way?
• What small steps could you take to bring your actions more in line with what matters to you?”

Facilitate open discussion, drawing out examples from participants and normalizing the challenges of living according to one’s values.

Part 3: Closing Activity Personal Values Commitment

5 MINUTES

FACILITATOR SCRIPT:

“As we wrap up today’s session, I’d like each of you to reflect on what we’ve discussed in identifying your top three personal values, the principles that you want to guide your life decisions going forward. On the index card I’m giving you, write down these three values. Below each value, write one specific action you could take in the next week that would help you live more in line with that value.

For example, if ‘friendship’ is one of your top values, your action might be ‘I will reach out to a friend I haven’t talked to in a while.’ If ‘health’ is important, your action might be ‘I will take a 15-minute walk three times this week.’ You’ll have about two minutes to write, and then we’ll go around the circle. Each person will share at least one of their values and the corresponding action step.”

Distribute blank index cards and allow time for writing. During sharing, acknowledge each person’s contribution with respect. Highlight connections between different people’s values when appropriate.

FINAL WRAP-UP

“Thank you all for your thoughtful participation today. Remember, identifying your values is just the first step—the real power comes when you begin to make choices that align with what matters most to you. This doesn’t mean it will always be easy, but it can lead to a more authentic and satisfying life. I encourage you to keep your values card somewhere you’ll see it regularly as a reminder. We’ll check in next time about how your action steps went. Any final thoughts or questions before we close?”

Values List: