Identify your values to increase life satisfaction
HOW satisfied are you with your life?
This is one of those million-dollar questions.
Answering it requires us to consider so many things yet, at the same time, gives us an immediate indication of how content and balanced we feel with our lives overall.
Each one of us will have our own view on what makes for a satisfying life. This is because we have unique personalities and value systems that guide our choices and make our lives personally meaningful.
When we can choose the work we do, set goals, relate to others and develop ourselves in line with our values, we are rewarded with experiences that satisfy us.
Some people might measure life satisfaction predominantly by how much money and possessions they have, whereas others might give more importance to the balance between their work and home lives, how much time they have to pursue their passions or to help others.
How satisfied you are with your life will largely depend on whether you are able to do the things that are important to you.
Research is revealing that living a meaningful life guided by values is much more fulfilling than chasing fame and fortune and short-lived pleasures.
If you can identify your values and use these as a compass to guide you in life, then there is a good chance your sense of life satisfaction will increase.
If you need a little help identifying your values, then start by asking yourself these questions:
■ What matters most to me in this world?
■ What do I want to stand for in life?
■ What am I doing when I feel most satisfied with life?
Now imagine yourself five years from now. Imagine that over the course of those five years you have been able to live the life you want with the guarantee that the people around you will love and respect you for who you are.
Free from the worry of what other people might think, what does your life look like?
For some people, you might envisage a life that is more or less the same as the one you’re leading now, for others, the picture may be very different.
Identify where the gaps are between where you are now and where you want to be. Use this information to guide you in the direction you want to travel in pursuit of what is meaningful to you.
For more tips on using your values to build a satisfying life, visit the blog page on my website at drelliepsychology.co.uk
Dr Ellie Milby is a counselling psychologist