Living by a value system may seem old-fashioned these days. This is because change is a constant concept and most people find it easy to embrace freedom that is unrestrained and flexible. Meaning that with them, anything is possible as long as it is what they want at that point in time – which is not necessarily a bad thing as long as it does not involve trading one’s values, one’s sense of self which is tied to one’s happiness for what is considered popular, trendy and hip.
Many argue that these values are man-made and therefore imposed on the young. This argument is not wrong either. Every child, every adult is not an extension of their parents. They are special, unique, different and free to choose, belief and be what they want to be. This is why values exist. They help you become who you really, truly want to be. When you acknowledge your values, life becomes easy and as you make plans to honour them, life becomes easier.
Here are some values and a short one line definition of each. Look through each one and see if you can identify those ones that are important to you. You should write down the values that are most important to you down somewhere that you can easily reach for every day.
Accountability: The condition of being accountable, responsible, and answerable.
Accuracy: The quality, state of being correct, precise
Adventurousness: Inclined to undertake new and daring enterprises.
Altruism: Unselfish concern for the welfare of others, selflessness
Balance: To be in or come into equilibrium.
Belonging: Acceptance as a natural member or part of something.
Competitiveness: Having a strong desire to win and be best at something
Contentment: A state of happiness and satisfaction
Creativity: The use of imagination or original idea to invent something
Dynamism: The forcefulness of an energetic personality
Discretion: The quality of behaving or speaking in a way to avoid causing offence or revealing confidential information
Exploration: The action of exploring an unfamiliar area
Expressiveness: The quality of being expressive
Faith: Complete trust or confidence in someone or something
Family: Cherishing the fundamental social group that consist of one or two parents and children over everything else
Fidelity: Faithfulness to a person, cause or belief
Generosity: the quality of being kind and generous
Grace: Smoothness and elegance of movement
Health: The state of being free from illness or injury
Honesty: The quality of being honest
Ingenuity: The quality of being clever, original, inventive
Intelligence: The ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills
Intuition: The ability to understand something instinctively without the need for conscious reasoning
Justice: Just behaviour or treatment
Legacy: Something immaterial, a style or a philosophy, that is passed from one generation to another
Loyalty: The quality of being loyal
Order: Formal disposition or array, proper and in working condition
Positivity: The quality or state of being positive
Practicality: The quality or state of being practical
Professionalism: The competence or skill expected of a professional
Prudence: The quality of being prudent, wise
Restraint: A measure that keeps someone or something under control
Security: The state of being free from danger or threat
Sensitivity: The quality or condition of being sensitive
Service: The action of helping or doing work for someone
Shrewdness: Astute and sharp in practical matters
Simplicity: The quality or condition of being easy to understand
Soundness: Competent, sensible, valid
Spontaneity: The quality of being spontaneous
Structure: Ability to construct or arrange according to plan, give pattern or organization to something
Temperance: Abstinence or moderation in drinking alcoholic beverages
Thankfulness: The quality of showing warm, friendly feelings of gratitude
Thoroughness: The quality of being painstakingly careful about something
Thoughtfulness: The quality of being kind and showing considerate regard for others
Timeliness: The quality of arriving or being ready early
Uniqueness: The quality of being the only one of its kind
Usefulness: The quality of being useful
Vitality: The state of being strong and active.
This list is in no way exhaustive but by going through the above values, you may have come across a couple of values you count as important to you. You can also tell from the above listed values, what some of the values of your friends and families, or work colleagues are. Knowing what our values are and being able to identify them in others will go a long way in becoming at peace with ourselves and becoming at peace with others.
When you are asked next time what your values are, you can tell them confidently that you appreciate, accountability, contentment, grace, practicality and timeliness. Own your values, and life becomes easy. Plan to honour them, life becomes easier to live.
