This is how to use value triggers to improve your life
Value triggers are a great way to keep reminding yourself of who you are and what you want.
by: E.B. Johnson
Our values are a basic and core component of who we are. They are fundamental beliefs that guide us and motivate us, and they are indicators of our attitudes throughout life and the personal qualities we’ll adopt. Our values directly indicate the quality of our inner world, and only by focusing on them can we create lives that are aligned with who we are authentically at our core. When we lose sight of our values, we lose sight of how to treat others (and ourselves) and can quickly become lost and searching for meaning that we should be finding from within.
In the smallest sense, our values are what outlines the things in life that are good, desirable and worthwhile for us. Losing sight of them, however, is easy to do in this modern and chaotic world. If you feel as though your values are slipping, value triggers can be a great way to get refocused and re-centered around the the things that matter the most to you. Ranging from Post-it notes to jewelry mementos, these constant reminders of our values can be big or small, complex or simple. They’re completely customizable to you, your journey and what you need and want from the world around you.
What are value triggers?
Value triggers can be important when it comes to our motivation and empowering ourselves to make major changes in both our personal and professional lives. They are physical reminders of our core beliefs, and they’re also constant reminders of what means the most to our authentic self. Value triggers are great for keeping our true desires in sight, but they also take identifying those personal values and elevating your understanding of them.
We have to be in touch with our values in order to create lives that are fulfilling. Without keeping sight of these, it’s impossible to find the path in life that aligns with who we truly are and what we truly want. Losing touch with these values can lead to negative and self-destructive patterns, so that’s where the value trigger comes into play.
Why our values are so important.
Our values are a critical piece of who we are, because they guide what we believe, and they impact how we see ourselves and how we behave and react in the world around us. Values mean a lot, and they provide a lot of structure to our lives. Only when we honor their importance and apply them — honestly — to our lives can we begin the growth processes we so desperately seek.
They help us find our purpose
Our values help guide us, and help us to identify those things in life which give us meaning and purpose. That’s because they allow us to clarify what’s important and what isn’t, and carry us closer to the answers that outline the happiness and fulfillment we’re so desperately seeking.
They increase our confidence
Values bring stability and safety to our lives, and for this reason they can also help to increase our confidence and self-esteem. Knowing what you want makes you more resilient to stress, and more resilient to the negativity that life throws your way. When you know you can thrive, and when you know what you’re seeking, you’re naturally more inclined to believe in yourself and your abilities.
They help inform our reactions
Whether we realize it or not, our values act as guiding principles — leading us forward and onward, closer to the center of our selves and the real authentic people that we are. For this reason, our values also help to inform our reactions, and help us manage how we react in difficult situations. With values, we can reflect and align who we are with how we act within the world around us.
They let us to develop our sense of self
Strong values equate to strong opinions, and it is these opinions that help us to define our sense of self. Without values, we float through life being led by the hands around us. But, with strong values, we start form concrete notions that more definitively reflect who we are (honestly) at the center of our authentic self. Having strong, and individually founded, beliefs is important in order to find true happiness in this life. We can’t just believe what our parents believed. We have to find truth for ourselves and align it to our values.
They help us weed out the nonsense
If you’re looking to get rid of excess baggage in your life, there’s no better way to do it than to get up-close-and-personal with your values. When we identify the things that are important, we are better able to rule out the things that undermine our happiness or the things that no longer serve us. Little by little, you become able to better manage your time, and better balance your life and your emotions. All from figuring out what matters and what doesn’t!
They allow us to make decisions
Perhaps most importantly of all, values help guide our hands when it comes to making the decisions that matter. When we’re up against a wall, our emotions can come into play and overwhelm us. In those instances, it’s important to look to your values to sort through the chaos and choose the path that’s best aligned to what you truly want from life. Values allow us to remain clearheaded and singularly focused when we’re being pulled in a thousand different directions.
The most common types of value triggers.
Value triggers are a tool that can help keep us focused on what really means the most. They can keep us in touch with who we are and what we want, and they can inspire us to strive toward our highest ideals. If you find yourself getting sidetracked and lost on the way to the core of what you want, consider a few of these simple triggers to keep you honed in on your authentic self.
Background screens
Changing the background screen on your phone or computer is one of the best ways to keep around a constant reminder of who you are or what you want. Pick an image (or images) that reflect something you really want to stay zeroed in on. It could be something like self-courage or even patience. Whatever it is, look for an image that speaks to you, and one that inspires you to keep pushing toward the values that give your life meaning.
Post-it’s
Who doesn’t love a good Post-it note? One of the simplest ways to keep those value reminders going is to write them down on these sticky little notepapers and place them in visible areas. Planners, cabinets, mirrors and computers are just a few places these value triggers work well.
Pictures
If you thought the days of scrapbooking were over — think again. Printing out pictures of people who exemplify the values you’re seeking to achieve is a great way to remind yourself of the direction you’re going, while helping you stay on track. Pictures can include friends, family, teachers, spiritural leaders…it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that the images inspire a feeling of empowerment and the motivation to strive and succeed.
Jewelry
Rings, bracelets and necklaces are another great way to remind yourself of the values you hold near and dear. Pick one piece of body decor and let it stand for a specific value or intention. Every time you look at the jewelry or touch it — reflect on it’s meaning, and remember what it means to you and what it means to your life and the things you want.
Wallet cards
If you’re someone who carries a wallet (and really, who isn’t?) then a wallet card is a great way to keep yourself reminded of the values that are instilled into your life. Write down a value or two on an index card and tuck it into your wallet. When you become stressed throughout the day, you can pull it out and refer to it as a reminder of your life’s direction.
How to use value triggers to improve your life.
While value triggers won’t magically change your life, employing them within your daily routines can really boost your self-esteem and sense of purpose. Just like the reminders on your iPhone — value triggers are real life reminders of the the things that are important. Use the tips below to incorporate them into your life.
1. Get into rituals
Value triggers work best when incorporated as a part of daily rituals. Though it might seem silly, rituals can be extremely effective when it comes to creating lives and environments that work for us. Rituals can alleviate grief and reduce anxiety. They’ve even been shown to increase confidence and make it easier to deal with high-stress or high-pressure situations. In short, rituals work, and they work even better when they include value triggers that keep you reminded of the meaningful things.
Build your value triggers into your morning and evening rituals, so that you’re getting starting and ending the day in the right mindset. If you’re using Post-it notes, place a few around the bathroom mirror so you can get a quick sense of focus while you’re brushing your teeth or doing your hair. If wallet cards are more your style, take a second or two to pull your card out before going into the office or getting into the car with the kids for the morning drop.
Getting the maximum benefit from our value triggers means using them. The easiest way to do that is to include them in habits that are already established, thus making it easier to stay on track, while leaving us relatively uninterrupted. Value triggers are great for enhancing our self-control, but they’re only as good as the use that we give them. Build them in so you can build yourself up. No one is holding you back but you.
2. Reflect as you go
When we’re really honest with ourselves, we often realize that many of the things that we cling to aren’t that important. It’s imperative that we remain mindful about what matters, and avoid taking our values for granted in a way that undermines our self-confidence or personal fulfillment. In order to stay focused, we have to reflect as we go and continually reevaluate what we really want from ourselves and the people and environments around us.
Take some time to reflect on your values regularly, and take some time to make sure they still align with what you want. Make sure too that your behaviors, reactions and decisions still align with those values, and you aren’t being ruled by your emotions alone.
People change over time, and so too do the things that matter to them in life. By consistently taking the time to check in with ourselves, we can be sure to better-manage those fluctuations and maintain a life that’s in-line with who we truly want to become. It’s okay if values change. There’s no such thing as an ideal value. There is such as a thing as an ideal-level of self-knowledge, however, and it’s infinite. Never stop getting to know yourself.
3. Engage in soul-searching
Value triggers are only as effective as the truth they represent. If we truly want to establish values that work for us, we have to get to know ourselves. And that is something that takes a considerable amount of self-knowledge, compassion and understanding.
Don’t choose values that were passed down to you by others. Instead, spend some quiet time — away from all the fuss and the chaos — and get to know who you really are on the inside and what’s really important to you. Follow through your train of thoughts until you arrive at the things you really, wholeheartedly believe. Those are the things that define your authentic self, but they can only be discovered by you.
True values come naturally, and they’re discovered naturally too. Incorporate them into everything you do and you’ll find yourself guided toward a future that aligned with the person you are at your core. Values aren’t something that should feel forced or enhanced — and neither should the value triggers we incorporate into our lives. Rather, they’re something that should come intrinsically and make us feel as though we are moving from a safe and comfortable place.
4. Choose items carefully
One of the really great things about value triggers is that they don’t have to be big or expensive or complex. Instead, they can be simple, small and just as effective as any major habit-change or life overhaul. Value triggers can come in any shape or size that resonates with you. All that matters is that you use them regularly and in a way that enhances your day-to-day life.
Pick things that are cohesive with your lifestyle, and items that fit smoothly into the environment you’ve already established. Make interactions with your value trigger inevitable, and carry them around with you as frequently as you can.
Images of loved ones, inherited jewelry, trinkets, background screens and Post-it notes are just good places to start. The more creative you are with your value triggers, the more meaningful they generally become. Really look for things that speak to your heart and reconfirm that sense of self you’re looking to grow and build from within. Remember your core values and what you stand for, so you can weather the worst of hardships that life has to throw your way.
5. Practice acceptance
When we speak about acceptance, we’re so quick to jump into the external situations and people that judge us. While it’s important to forgive these people and these things, it’s most important to start our journey to acceptance within ourselves. If you can’t accept yourself, it’s impossible to truly find acceptance from others. You have to practice what you preach and you have to start that practice with yourself. It just so happens that value triggers help remind us of that.
Forgive yourself for the missteps and mistakes; the poor judgement calls and the people who you placed your trust in wrongly. Understand that none of us is perfect (no matter how much we might pretend otherwise) — and understand that you will continue to make mistakes. That’s just human nature.
Accepting ourselves is a choice, but it’s also a skill that has to be practiced and honed internally until we are ready to share it with others. Learning how to accept who you are is a gift for yourself, as much as it is for anyone else, so give that give to yourself and practice radical forgiveness on you for a change. Being able to let go will allow you to let go of all that anger and hurt that is bubbling down inside, but you have to dig down deep to get there. Value triggers are a great way to keep us focused on this path and the transformation ahead.
Putting it all together…
Values are critical to our lives, and help guide us and transform our sense of self. They are the foundations on which we build their lives, and they can impact everything from our beliefs to the way we react and behave with those closest to us in our lives. Value triggers are a great way to keep ourselves reminded of these guiding values and the benefits they can offer to our lives. By creatively establishing some routines and incorporating value triggers that help you stay focused, you can boost your sense of self and happiness.
Keeping sight of your values — even in challenging times — can be kicked off by developing rituals that allow you to get in touch with who you are and what you want. Regularly check in on yourself and take an emotional inventory. Reflect as you go and really engage in some regular sessions of soul-searching. Only when you truly know who and what you are can you start to thrive. Choose value triggers carefully, and keep them to hand in times of trouble or turmoil so you can remember what it’s all about. Practice some radical self-acceptance and understand that it won’t all happen over night. Changes happen in stages. Be patient and compassionate and remember that we have to fight for the futures we want to create. You’re the only one who can, and you’re the only one who will. So you better start today.
