Values are not our morals; they are not about being right or wrong (although living in an ethical way might be a value we hold).

When we are honouring our values we feel ‘right’ inside. Similarly when we are ignoring, (or are not able to live by) our values we feel all ‘wrong’. The technical term is dissonance. If we’re not making choices in life based on our true values we’ll suffer from dissonance. It may reveal itself as frustation, or anger, or indifference. We may try to pretend to ourselves that all is well but inside we know. All is not well, whether it’s at work, or in our private life. We know something is not right, even if we can’t always put our finger on what is wrong.

I have included an exercise in my book on understanding your values because articulating our values can sometimes be difficult. This post may also help. What values have to be met for you to have a happy and fulfilling life? Does your current job or lifestyle honour them?