How to Discover Your Core Values: A Practical ACT-Based Guide
Download my free Values Guide Here!
Many people feel stuck not because they lack motivation, but because they lack clarity about what truly matters to them.
When you are unsure of your values, decisions can feel overwhelming, boundaries can feel difficult, and life can start to feel misaligned.
One of the most effective ways to regain clarity is through values work, a core component of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
What are values?
In ACT, values are described as ongoing directions that guide how you want to live, behave, and relate to others.
They are not goals that can be completed.
They are principles that help you navigate life, especially during uncertainty or emotional difficulty.
Research shows that greater clarity about personal values is strongly associated with improved wellbeing, resilience, and psychological flexibility.
Why values clarification helps
When people are clear about their values, they tend to:
• Make decisions more confidently
• Feel less overwhelmed by uncertainty
• Set healthier boundaries
• Experience greater life satisfaction
Values act as an internal compass, helping you move in meaningful directions even when life feels difficult.
Free values guide
To support this process, I’ve created a free Values Guide based on evidence-informed ACT principles.
Inside the guide, you’ll learn:
• What values are and how they differ from goals
• How to identify your core values using a structured process
• How to use your values to make clearer decisions
• Practical steps to begin living in alignment with what matters most
Download my free Values Guide Here!
Instagram Page: @anikabull_therapy
Author’s Note
Hi, I’m Anika — a therapist, writer, mum and the founder of my private counselling practice, Anika Bull Therapy. The Feels Corner is where I share honest reflections on mental health and the very real inner experiences we move through as humans, the doubts, the hopes, the shifts that shape us.
I write to remind you that your inner world deserves care. Your dreams and the life you imagine for yourself are not out of reach and it is never too late to release old stories, soften self-criticism, and begin treating yourself with more compassion and trust.
If even one piece of writing offers a moment of comfort or connection, I’m grateful you’re here — reading, breathing, growing, right alongside me. You can find more of my work on Instagram at @anikabull_therapy, where I share content from the heart for this brave, messy, beautiful growth journey we’re on.
This article is for information and reflection. It is not a substitute for therapeutic support.
