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