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