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