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