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