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