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Writer's pictureFelicity Jefferson

The Importance of Value Oriented Action in improving mental health

Updated: Jul 26


Person holding a compass in a forest.
Values give us a direction that is meaningful to us.

Value oriented action is just a fancy way of saying taking steps in the direction of the things that really matter to you. You know, like the things that matter deep down, the super important things, not just our surface level whims our fleeting desires or even our fears. The things that we might be thinking about when we reflect back on our life from our death bed. Sorry to be a bit morbid but thinking in a big picture way like this can actually help you create a life that is more meaningful and fulfilling and improve your mental health.


That's right research shows that people's well--being, happiness and fulfilment increase the more their life is a reflection of their values. Becoming aware of what your values are and then taking steps in the direction of these values is an important part of improving your mental health and sometimes is also an important part of therapy. In fact this is a central part of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), first developed by Steven Hayes in 1982.


One benefit of taking values based action is that it isn't just about unrealistic expectations of being happy all time. Sometimes taking steps in the direction of our values is hard, it might mean having a difficult conversation, leaving a situation, saving money or doing things like study or work even when a part of us would rather browse the newest Netflix recommendations. Focusing on moving in the direction of our values can give us a light in the dark through challenging or hard times. It is a promise of hope and better days that can be a source of inner strength and boost our mental health.


Man walking along path along a cliffside.
When life gets challenging our values can help us stay motivated.

If we are not connected to our values and taking values orientated action we are more likely to feel direction-less and struggle with motivation which can feed into negative self-talk and low-mood if left unchecked. Taking time to connect with what our values are can bring a new found sense of meaning, direction and purpose that can hold us through life's ups and downs.


Here are 3 techniques to discover your values:

  1. Ask yourself, if you could design your perfect day, what would you do? How would you spend your time? Where would you wake up? What would you eat? Who would be there? From this try to work out any themes that pop up that could represent your values or what is important to you.

  2. Similar to above but a bit more big picture, ask yourself, if you could design a planet you could live on what would be there, how would you spend your time? What you create is an insight into what really matters to you.

  3. Finally, we are coming back full-circle here, ask yourself what you would like to see when you look back on your life from your death bed far into the future. How did you spend your time here in this life? What connections did you make and with whom? What did you learn? Again looking at your answers identify themes that could reflect your deep underlying values.


So what's next?

Once you know your values it's time to reflect on where you are at currently with these values and where you'd like to go from here. How can you live a life more reflective of your values? Set some goals and break them down into SMART goals that you can starting working towards today.


If you are still struggling with identifying your values or taking steps in their direction talking to a psychologist can help. Sometimes there are blocks that are getting in the way such as negative beliefs about ourselves or the world which therapy can assist.


If you would like to know more about my work I'd love to hear from you via my contacts page. I am a Clinical Psychologist based in the Inner West of Sydney offering both in person and Telehealth sessions.



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