Values Inventory

People from high-control systems often have trouble telling the difference between their personal values and the ones they were taught to value by their group, family, or culture. Values are subjective, though, so your personal values are completely your own. They motivate you, bring you a sense of meaning, and give you ownership over your life so you can make choices that will bring you genuine fulfillment.

This inventory is a list of all kinds of values that people can hold. None of them are right or wrong, they’re just different priorities. As an unique individual, your core values won't perfectly align with what you were told was important in the past. This activity is meant to help you to differentiate between the values that feel authentic to you as an individual and the ones you were expected or pressured to embody by others. 

Instructions: Go through the list of values, checking the ones that feel important and motivating to you personally as well as the ones that your religious group (or family) told you were the "right" values to have.

Interpretation: Compare the two lists of values and notice which ones overlap and which ones don't. After reflecting further, feel free to make updates. Remember, you get to choose what you value!

Here are some reflection questions:

• Are there any group values that you're still trying to live by but don't truly feel authentic to you?

• Are there any personal values that your group told you were "bad" or embarrassing? How has that impacted you?

• Are there any values that have changed in their importance to you over the years?

• Is there anything you want to start doing more or less of because of this new insight?

Optional: If you want to receive a copy of your responses, enter your email and click "Submit".

Created by Anna Clark Miller, LPC-S