Values clarification — identifying what matters most to you at the deepest level — is a cornerstone of ACT therapy for embarrassment and provides direction when embarrassment removes other navigational tools.
Why Values Matter for Embarrassment
Embarrassment often disconnects us from our values through avoidance, withdrawal, and reduced capacity. Reconnecting with values provides:
- Direction when embarrassment has eliminated other motivation
- Meaning that persists even through difficult embarrassment periods
- A basis for action independent of how embarrassment makes you feel
Clarifying Your Values with Embarrassment
Ask yourself: 'If my embarrassment 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 Embarrassment
ACT therapy teaches: act according to values even when embarrassment is present. Small values-aligned actions, despite embarrassment, are more sustainable than waiting for embarrassment to lift first.