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