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Every day we are faced with the need to solve some problems and circumstances that constantly test our strength. And in today's world of all sorts of worries and stresses, our life values, which are a kind of pointers on the path of life.

If everything we say and do is in line with ours, life is correct and meaningful, and we ourselves are satisfied and confident in ourselves. However, it often happens that our actions diverge from deep-seated beliefs, which is why irritability. And this is an indicator that something is wrong. In addition, such feelings can make us unhappy, and only when we always act according to our conscience, both self-esteem and a state of happiness are preserved.

A person's life values ​​can be safely called his internal compass, according to which it is necessary to compare all steps. After all, when there are certain attitudes, it is much easier for a person to think through actions and, which is the basis of a productive and fulfilling life.

But let's think about what our life values ​​can be.

Value is the significance, importance, usefulness, and usefulness of something. Outwardly, it acts as one of the properties of objects or phenomena. But their usefulness and significance are not inherent in them due to their internal structure, that is, they are not given by nature, they are nothing more than subjective assessments of specific properties involved in the public domain, they are interested in and need them. In the Constitution Russian Federation It is written that the highest value is the person himself, his freedom and rights.

The use of the concept of value in various sciences

Depending on what kind of science is studying this phenomenon in society, there are several approaches to its use. So, for example, philosophy considers the concept of value as follows: it is a socio-cultural, personal significance specific objects. In psychology, value is understood as all those objects of the society surrounding the individual that are of value to him. This term in this case is closely related to motivation. But in sociology, values ​​are understood as those concepts that are called sets of goals, states, phenomena, worthy for people to aspire to. As you can see, in this case, there is a connection with motivation. Moreover, in terms of these social sciences, there are the following types and spiritual. The latter are also called eternal values. They are not tangible, but sometimes they are much more important for society than all material objects put together. Of course, they have nothing to do with economics. In this science, the concept of value is considered as the cost of objects. At the same time, two types of it are distinguished: consumer and first represent one or another value for consumers, depending on the degree of usefulness of the product or its ability to satisfy human needs, and the latter are valuable in that they are suitable for exchange, and the degree of their significance is determined by the ratio that is obtained with an equivalent exchange. That is, the more a person is aware of his dependence on a given object, the higher its value. People living in cities are completely dependent on money, because they need it to purchase the most necessary goods, namely food. For rural residents, monetary dependence is not as great as in the first case, since they can get the products necessary for life regardless of the availability of money, for example, from their own garden.

Various definitions of values

The simplest definition of this concept is the statement that values ​​are all those objects and phenomena that can satisfy human needs. They can be material, that is, tangible, or they can be abstract, like love, happiness, etc. By the way, the totality of values ​​that are inherent in a particular person or group are called Without it, any culture would be meaningless. And here is another definition of value: it is the objective significance of the variety of components (properties and features of an object or phenomenon) of reality, which are determined by the interests and needs of people. The main thing is that they are necessary for a person. However, value and significance are not always equivalent. After all, the first is not only positive, but also negative, but the value is always positive. What satisfies cannot be negative, although here everything is relative...

Representatives of the Austrian school believe that core values ​​are a specific amount of goods or goods that are necessary to satisfy. The more a person realizes his dependence on the presence of a given object, the higher its value. In a word, the relationship between quantity and need is important here. According to this theory, goods that exist in unlimited quantities, such as water, air, etc., are of little importance because they are non-economic. But the goods, the quantity of which does not satisfy the needs, that is, there are less of them than necessary, are of real value. This view has both many supporters and opponents who fundamentally disagree with this opinion.

Changeability of values

This philosophical category is public nature, because it is formed in the process of practice. As a result, values ​​tend to change over time. What was significant for this society may not be so for future generations. And we see this from our own experience. If we look back into the past, we can see that the values ​​of the generations of our parents and ours differ in many ways from each other.

Main types of values

As noted above, the main types of values ​​are material (contributing to life) and spiritual. The latter give a person moral satisfaction. Main types material assets- these are the simplest goods (housing, food, household items, clothing, etc.) and goods more high order(means of production). However, both of them contribute to the life of society, as well as improving the quality of life of its members. And people need spiritual values ​​for the formation and further development of their worldviews, as well as worldview. They contribute to the spiritual enrichment of the individual.

The role of values ​​in society

This category, in addition to being of some importance to society, also plays a certain role. For example, the development of different values ​​by a person contributes to the acquisition of social experience, as a result of which he joins the culture, and this, in turn, affects the formation of his personality. Another important role of values ​​in society is that a person strives to create new goods, while maintaining the old, already existing ones. In addition, the value of thoughts, actions, various things is expressed in how important they are for the process. community development, that is, the progress of society. And at the personal level - the development and self-improvement of a person.

Classification

There are several classifications. For example, according to it, material and spiritual values ​​are distinguished. But according to their significance, the latter are false and true. Classification is also carried out by areas of activity, depending on their carrier, and by the time of action. According to the first, economic, religious and aesthetic values ​​are distinguished, the second - universal, group and personality values, and the third - eternal, long-term, short-term and momentary. In principle, there are other classifications, but they are too narrow.

Material and spiritual values

Regarding the first, we have already managed to tell above, everything is clear with them. These are all the material goods that surround us that make our life possible. As for the spiritual, they are the components inner world of people. And the initial categories here are good and evil. The first contribute to happiness, and the second - everything that leads to destruction and is the cause of discontent and unhappiness. Spiritual - these are the true values. However, to be so, they must coincide with significance.

Religious and aesthetic values

Religion is based on unconditional faith in God, and it does not require any proof. Values ​​in this area are guidelines in the life of believers, which are determined by the norms and motives of their actions and behavior in general. Aesthetic values ​​are all that gives a person pleasure. They are directly related to the concept of "beauty". They are associated with creativity, with art. The beautiful is the core value. Creative people dedicate their lives to creating beauty, not only for themselves, but also for others, wanting to bring true joy, delight, and admiration to those around them.

Personal values

Each person has their own personal orientations. And they have different people may be fundamentally different. What is important in the eyes of one may not be valuable to another. For example, classical music, which brings lovers of this genre into a state of ecstasy, may seem boring and uninteresting to someone. Personal values ​​are greatly influenced by factors such as upbringing, education, social circle, environment etc. Of course, the family has the strongest influence on the personality. This is the environment in which a person begins his primary development. He gets his first idea of ​​values ​​in his family (group values), but with age he may accept some of them and reject others.

Personal values ​​include the following types of values:

• those that are components of the meaning of human life;
• the most general semantic formations, which are based on reflexes;
• beliefs that have to do with desired behavior or completing something;
• objects and phenomena to which the individual has a weakness or is simply not indifferent;
• what is important for each person of a person, and what he considers his property.

These are the types of personal values.

A new approach to defining values

Values ​​are opinions (beliefs). Some scientists think so. According to them, these are biased and cold ideas. But when they begin to activate, they mix with feelings, while getting a certain color. Others believe that the main values ​​are the goals that people strive for - equality, freedom, well-being. It is also a way of behavior that contributes to the achievement of these goals: mercy, empathy, honesty, etc. According to the same theory, true values ​​should act as some kind of standards that guide the assessment or choice of people, actions and events.

Knowing your personal values ​​will help you find satisfaction in life and find your way through it. They can work as a compass, pointing you in the direction of a meaningful life and career. If you have to make a choice, or if you feel like you're treading water, take stock of your values ​​and stay true to them to get you on the right path. To identify your values ​​in life, take the steps below to help you figure out what is important to you. Once you understand your personal values, you can use them as a basis for "reconstructing" your life. This will help you build a life and career that aligns with your values.

Steps

Part 1

Make a list of the things that are most important to you in life. Even if you don't consider it a value, chances are there are a few things that are of the utmost importance to you, such as family and friends. Take 5-10 minutes and think about what you think is important in life, and then write these things down on a piece of paper. Try to come up with at least 5 points.

• For example, you could write: "My family, creative side, helping others, being kind to animals, and learning new things."

1. Identify 3-5 situations where you really felt alive and engaged. When we are doing something important to us, we easily lose the sense of the present moment. Think of times when you felt this way. Keep in mind that these exciting and invigorating experiences don't have to be "happy." Then ask yourself what made the experience worthwhile to find out what value it might represent.

   • You can write: “When I helped my friend Alina after an accident”, “When I received a diploma at school”, “When I left abandoned kittens”.
   • Then analyze why you felt alive helping your friend Alina. You may have enjoyed feeling helpful, or you may have been uplifted by the need to get creative and come up with activities to do together during your friend's recovery.

2. Think about what words you would like to hear from people on your 80th birthday. This will allow you to look back at your life to decide how you want to live it. Imagine that you are celebrating 80 years on Earth and celebrating all your accomplishments. Then think about what it might say about your values ​​in life. Ask yourself the following questions:

   • Who is at my party?
   • What do people like about me?
   • How have I affected people's lives?
   • What have I achieved in life?
   • What do the answers to the previous questions say about your values?

   Option: You can also answer these questions by writing your obituary the way you would like it to sound. Think about how you want to be remembered by people, and then implement these things into your daily life.

   Think about what you admire in other people to bring out your values. Start by identifying two or three people you admire, such as family members, friends, leaders, celebrities, or fictional characters. Then identify what you admire about them, such as their accomplishments or talents. Then decide what values ​​they can represent (from your point of view). Most likely, these will be the values ​​that you adhere to.

   • For example, you may admire preacher Martin Luther King Jr. for his courage, commitment to standing up for the truth, and selflessness.

3. Make a list of the things you really want in life. Fold a piece of paper in half or create two columns in a word document. On the left side of the page, write down the answers to the questions below. On the right side of the page, write down what each item on the list says about your values. The list is likely to be very long, but that's good because it will give you more directions to get to know yourself.

   • What do you want to achieve?
   • Who do you want to be in life or at work?
   • What things do you hope to have?
   • What do you hope to experience in life?
   • How do you want to spend your time?
   • What are your goals and aspirations?

4. Use the list of values ​​to decide what is important to you. Such a list consists of a list of values ​​that can be analyzed. Circle or write down the values ​​you identify with. Then select the top 10 values ​​from the list to find out what is most important to you.

   • For example, you can use this list: http://www.grunin.org/info/articles/polezno/spisok-cennostej/

5. Make a ranking of the 10 core values ​​you have chosen. After you have completed one or more of the steps to recognize your values, make a list of the 10 things that are most important to you. Then arrange them from 1 to 10 places, where number one is the most important value. Use this list as you make life and career choices.

   • It's okay if the values ​​and their ranking line change over time. We are constantly learning, developing and changing, so it is only natural that some values ​​lose their importance or, on the contrary, gain it.

   Part 2

   Assess the alignment of values

   1. Rate how your life compares to each value on a scale of 1 to 10. Start at the top of the list and work your way down. Think about how each value is reflected in your life and how thoroughly you follow it. If you feel like this value is fully expressed, give yourself a 10. However, if you don't see this value at all in your life, give yourself a 1.

      • For example, let's say you value artistic creativity. You can give yourself a 10 for this item if you make art, study it, visit local museums, and own a couple of reproductions that you like. However, give yourself a 1 point if you only have a couple of art books and that is where your relationship with art ends.

   2. Using a scale of 1 to 10, determine if your profession matches each value. Ideally, to be satisfied in life and work, you need to express your values ​​through your profession. Think about how your job or profession represents each value. Give it a 10 if everything seems to match, or a 1 if it doesn't.

      • For example, suppose you value helping people. If you work in a local non-profit organization, you can give yourself a 10 for this item. On the other hand, if you don't interact directly with people at work, give yourself only a 3 (which might make you feel dissatisfied).

   3. Look for values ​​that you are not currently expressing in life. After you evaluate your career and life, identify the values ​​that are important to you but that you don't live by. These areas can be worked on to make you feel happier and more satisfied. In addition, it will help you find more meaning in your activities.

      • Make a list of the values ​​you want to add to your life. Use this list when you start making changes.

      Advice: ask yourself why these values ​​are not being expressed in your life. Is something bothering you? Do you feel like you can't express it? By identifying obstacles, you can remove them.

   Part 3

   Incorporate values ​​into your life and career

   Imagine what your ideal life would look like. Think about who you would be if you fully displayed your values. Where would you live? What kind of work would you do? How would you spend your free time? Make sure your choice is in line with the personal values ​​you have identified.

   • For example, you may have decided that in your ideal life, you would help people get in shape through dancing. You probably imagine that you live in big city on the coast, teach dance cardio at the gym, and go to the beach with friends in your free time. In addition, you have several pets because you love animals.

   Advice: try to imagine your ideal life to understand what you want the most. Then find ways to bring those images to life.

   1. Identify professions that align with your personal values. It will help you find meaning and purpose in life. Think about what kinds of tasks you could do on a daily basis, what kind of environment you would like to work in, and who you would like to collaborate with. Then find a job that reflects those values.

      • For example, let's say you want to help people in your community and do projects that affect it. In this case, you can work in a non-profit organization or in a government and political position, become a social worker, or work in the field of urban planning or public health.

Every person has values ​​in life. They are formed in childhood, and in adulthood they influence the actions of people, their decisions, personal choices. Values ​​are a reflection of the essence, a driving force that affects the worldview and the formation of personality. What exactly are the values ​​of life and how to choose them for yourself?

Where do life values ​​come from?

Although human values ​​are a stable structure, they change under the influence of external circumstances and internal experiences. Of fundamental importance are those values ​​that are laid down in childhood. However, they do not appear instantly, they are formed over the course of life. The older a person becomes, the more stable values ​​distinguish him. For some, money, fame, power, and luxury items are essential in life. Others consider spiritual self-improvement important, creative development, health, family and children.

The formation of life values ​​is influenced by:

• upbringing and family;
• Friends;
• classmates;
• team at work;
• experienced traumas and losses;
• economic situation in the country.

Basic values ​​of human life

Although each person is individual, there are values ​​that unite all people:

• . It has nothing to do with selfishness. Such love helps to achieve happiness in life and self-improvement.
• Near. The manifestation of this value lies in the respect of each person, his opinion and position in life.
• Family. - the highest value for most people.
• Husband or spouse. Emotional, spiritual and physical intimacy with a loved one comes first for some.
• Love for children.
• motherland. The place where a person was born affects the mentality and attitude to life.
• Job. There are people who seek to dissolve in activities, they are ready to take on any assignment at work to achieve the common good.
• Friends. and self-expression in it are of no small importance for any person.
• Rest. This sphere of life allows a person to concentrate on his feelings, relax and unwind from the endless bustle.
• public mission- activity. Altruists primarily seek to do something for the good of society. Satisfying your needs and desires is already in second place.

It cannot be said that each person singles out for himself one universal human value and lives by it. The listed areas are harmoniously intertwined, we just mark a few for ourselves and put them in first place in life.

Life values ​​are a complex structure that is reflected in the formulation and method of achievement. As a result, a person foresees unpleasant situations and possible failures.

List of possible human life values

In addition to basic life values, each person can have individual, sometimes extraordinary values. Below is only a partial list of possible human values, because it can be continued indefinitely.

Optimism

“The pessimist sees difficulties at every opportunity; An optimist sees opportunities in every difficulty. Such a character trait can undoubtedly be considered a value and rejoice at the presence of optimism in your life: with it, life becomes brighter and fuller.

Patience

"Patience and a little effort". The presence of patience, especially among the modern generation, is definitely worth considering as its value. Only with patience can you. This is about your personal benefits. But your friends and partners will surely appreciate this quality.

Honesty

"Honesty is the most precious thing." It is important to be honest not only with others, but also with yourself. If for you this value is on a par with the basic ones, you are probably a happy person: paradoxically, but honest people have an easier life than those who like to lie.

Discipline

"Business before pleasure". Most people are extremely skeptical of this value, because discipline is, in their opinion, equal to restrictions, lack of freedom. And only over the years, many people come to the conclusion that if you are a disciplined person, this does not mean that you somehow limit yourself, you rather find the path to freedom and happiness with the help of this character trait.

Life Value Examples

Asking the question: “What is valuable to me?”, Many find themselves in a dead end. However, it is very important to give yourself an unambiguous answer so that when a new situation arises for yourself, be true to your values.

Life values ​​are not related to the opinions of others and recognition of you as a person, thanks to the heights you have achieved

The following sequence of actions helps in determining your values:

1. Stay on your own. To understand what is important to you in life, and what is of secondary importance, it is recommended to clear the space of extraneous influence. Explore your personality all alone without the influence of external factors.
2. Remember important events In my life. It does not have to be only positive situations, reflect on the negative ones as well. Write down the main experiences on a piece of paper, think about what impressed you and what upset you, and without which you cannot imagine your life.
3. Explore human values , because from them follow personal needs and looks. Keep track of the relationship between the resulting list and everyday life. Some of the items listed are only a desire, not an established value in life.
4. Watch yourself. Set aside at least one day in which you would explore yourself, behavior, choices and motives for actions. The decisions we make on a daily basis are an indicator of a person's personal choice and values.
5. If the list of values ​​is too long, it will have to be shortened.. There should be 3 maximum 4 values. The rest is just additions and resulting decisions in life.

Conclusion

Some values ​​that are simultaneously important to a person may conflict. After looking at the compiled list, decide what does not fit together. This is what causes creativity, which is in disharmony with itself. It is important to remember about balance and the impact of our values ​​on the lives of others.

Each person is different, so values ​​differ depending on the nature and established guidelines in a person’s life. Although not every person has a tendency to reflect and explore oneself, it is still worth stopping for a moment and thinking about what is valuable to me. Otherwise, you will be a driven person, without your own core. Under new circumstances, you will immediately lose yourself and your personality!

What is a sense of life? How to live fully and happy life? What is truly valuable in life? Am I living right? These are the main questions that we are all trying to find the answer to ... In this article, I offer you a new opportunity to reconsider your life priorities and find answers to these "eternal" questions for yourself.

When I became seriously interested in this topic and began to search, I found that the best answers to these questions are given to us by people who in their lives have come face to face with their death.

I studied bestselling books about people who found out they were going to die very soon and changed their priorities in life; collected various studies on the topic “what one regrets before death”; added a bit of oriental philosophy and as a result this list of five true values ​​\u200b\u200bwas obtained in the life of every person.

If not for my illness, I would never have thought about how wonderful life is.

1. Identity

Everything in life has its purpose. Every living being on the planet has its own mission. And each of us has a role to play. Realizing our unique talents and abilities, we gain happiness and wealth. The path to our uniqueness and mission lies through our desires and dreams since childhood.

Individuality is the highest value in the world.
Osho.

One woman (Bronnie Wee) worked for many years in a hospice, where her task was to alleviate the mental state of dying patients. From her observations, she revealed that the most common regret people have before death is the regret that they did not have the courage to live the life that was right for them, and not the life that others expected from them. Her patients regretted that they never realized many of their dreams. And only at the end of the journey did they realize that this was only a consequence of their choice, which they had made.

Make a list of your talents and abilities, as well as a list of favorite things in which they are expressed. This is how you find your unique talents. Use them to serve others. To do this, ask yourself as often as possible: “How can I be useful (to the world, to the people I come into contact with)? How can I serve?

Quit the job you hate! Do not be afraid of poverty, failures and mistakes! Trust yourself and don't worry about the opinions of others. Always believe that God will take care of you. It’s better to take a risk once than to regret later that you lived a gray and mediocre life, “killing yourself” at an unloved job to the detriment of yourself and your loved ones.

Always remember that you are unique and your mission is to give the best of your uniqueness to the world. Only then will you find true happiness. That's what God intended.

Discover your divinity, find your unique talent, and you can create any wealth you want.
Deepak Chopra

2. Self-discovery and spiritual growth

Stop being an animal!.. Of course, we need to satisfy physiological needs, but only in order to develop spiritually. People are mainly chasing material well-being and are concerned, first of all, with things, and not with the soul. Then, as the primary meaning and purpose of human life is to realize that he is a spiritual being and, in fact, he does not need anything material.

We are not human beings having spiritual experiences from time to time. We are spiritual beings having a human experience from time to time.
Deepak Chopra

Realize God within you. Man is a transitional being from the animal to the spiritual. And each of us has the resources to make this transition. Practice the state of "Being" more often, when you have no thoughts and you do not need anything, when you simply feel life and enjoy its fullness. The state of "here and now" is already a spiritual experience.

There are people among us, not many, but there are those who understand that it is necessary to start saving money for old age even at a time when it is far away, so that a certain amount has time to accumulate ... So why not take care of what is more important than money, oh soul?
Eugene O'Kelly, Chasing the Elusive Light

And there is no need to improve yourself, you are already perfect because you are spiritual beings. Engage in self-discovery.

To know oneself as well as possible in order to be as big as possible for the world is the most important task person.
Robin Sharma

Even when you achieve your goals, true success is not about the achievement, but about the changes in consciousness that have taken place as an inevitable consequence of your progress toward those goals. It's not about achieving goals, but about what happens to you in the process of achieving it.

3. Openness

How often, in the face of death, people regret that they never had the courage to express love to their near and dear ones! They regret that they often suppressed their emotions and feelings because they were afraid of the reaction of others. They regret not allowing themselves to be happier. Only at the end of the journey did they realize that to be happy or not is a matter of choice.

Every moment we choose a reaction to this or that situation, and each time we interpret events in our own way. Be carefull! Watch your choice every moment.

What goes around comes around.
folk wisdom

What needs to be done to become more open?

1. Give free rein to your emotions and feelings. Ride the coolest attraction and scream at your pleasure; share your feelings with other people; become an optimist - rejoice, laugh, have fun, no matter what.
2. Accept yourself and life as it is. Allow yourself to be who you are and let things happen. Your task is to dream, move and watch what miracles life brings you. And if something does not turn out the way you wanted, then it will be even better. Just relax and enjoy.

I die and rejoice. And I'm going to have fun every day I have.
Randy Pausch "The Last Lecture"

4. Love

Sadly, many people only in the face of death realize how little love was in their lives, how little they rejoiced and enjoyed the simple joys of life. The world has given us so many miracles! But we are too busy. We cannot take our eyes off our plans and current concerns to look at these gifts and enjoy them.

Love is food for the soul. Love is to the soul what food is to the body. Without food, the body is weak; without love, the soul is weak.
Osho

Most The best way to raise a wave of love in your body is gratitude. Start thanking God for everything that he gives you every moment: for this food and a roof over your head; for this fellowship; beyond that clear sky; for everything you see and get. And when you catch yourself getting irritated, immediately ask yourself, “Why should I be grateful now?” The answer will come from the heart, and, believe me, it will inspire you.

Love is the energy from which the world is woven. Become a missionary of love! Give people compliments; charge everything you touch with love; give more than you get...and move through life from the heart, not from the head. It will guide you on the right path.

A path without a heart is never joyful. You have to work hard just to get there. On the contrary, the path that has a heart is always easy; it doesn't take much effort to fall in love with him.
Carlos Castaneda

5. Relationships

When life passes and in everyday worries we often lose sight of our relatives and friends, at the end of the journey we will feel devastation, deep sadness and longing ...

Spend as much time as you can with those you love and appreciate. They are the most valuable thing you have. Always be open to communication and new acquaintances, it enriches. As often as possible, give people your attention and admiration for them - all this will return to you. With joy and disinterestedly help, give, and just as joyfully accept gifts from others.

Bliss is also contagious, like any disease. If you help others to be happy, by and large you help yourself to be happy. .
Osho

PS: Recently I came across an interesting poll online: “What will you regret before you die?” 70% of the participants answered “When the time comes, then we will find out ... ».

So what will you regret at the end of your journey?