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