Values clarification — identifying what matters most to you at the deepest level — is a cornerstone of ACT therapy for coronavirus disease 2019 and provides direction when coronavirus disease 2019 removes other navigational tools.
Why Values Matter for Coronavirus Disease 2019
Coronavirus Disease 2019 often disconnects us from our values through avoidance, withdrawal, and reduced capacity. Reconnecting with values provides:
- Direction when coronavirus disease 2019 has eliminated other motivation
- Meaning that persists even through difficult coronavirus disease 2019 periods
- A basis for action independent of how coronavirus disease 2019 makes you feel
Clarifying Your Values with Coronavirus Disease 2019
Ask yourself: 'If my coronavirus disease 2019 were less present, what would I be doing more of? What kind of person would I be?'
Values are not goals (achievable and done) but ongoing directions: being a present parent, creating beauty, contributing to others.
Values-Based Action in Coronavirus Disease 2019
ACT therapy teaches: act according to values even when coronavirus disease 2019 is present. Small values-aligned actions, despite coronavirus disease 2019, are more sustainable than waiting for coronavirus disease 2019 to lift first.