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