Personal values list

Knowing what our personal values are helps us to understand what motivates and fulfils us, and therefore can guide our behaviours, decisions and actions to be aligned with who we really are. I like to think of them as our personal code of conduct.

It can also help us reach our goals. Research demonstrates that when we know what our values are and design our goals with them in mind, it sparks higher levels of motivation and effort to achieve them.

I’ve collected a list of values and added them below. It’s by no means exhaustive, but can be a great starting point when you’re ready to determine your own. The idea is to eventually get them down to 5-6, which, in my experience, can take quite some time! Start by combining those that are similar and choosing the word that resonates with you best. For example, achievement and accomplishment are similar but do have slightly different nuances, but which one feels more like you?

Then you can review them with the following questions:

• What motivates you?
• What fulfils you?
• What must you have in your life?
• What do you often say about yourself?
• What about you drives others crazy?!

So, which values do you think apply to you?!

P.S. My values are empathy, integrity, fairness, generosity, kindness, authenticity, support and professionalism 😉

Perhaps you know that I’m working towards my MSc Applied Positive Psychology & Coaching Psychology at the University of East London. So what is Positive Psychology, and how can it benefit you? Here’s a quick overview…

Positive Psychology defined

There are many, many different definitions of positive psychology, but I chose this one by Gable and Haidt as I find it is the best summary of what is actually a complex and evolving science: positive psychology is ‘the study of the conditions and processes that contribute to the flourishing (wellbeing) or optimal functioning of people, groups and institutions’. Or put more simply, it’s the science of human flourishing and focuses on enhancing what is already right.

The ultimate goal – to flourish

Here are some descriptions of flourishing that I collected:

• emotional vitality
• positive mental health
• vigorous and healthy growth
• living an authentic life
• functioning positively both individually and socially

And studies have shown that when we flourish, we can:

• feel more empowered, and less helpless
• develop clear and attainable personal goals, and achieve better results
• have higher levels of self-control and persistence
• have less illness
• experience higher levels of intimacy

What a very worthwhile goal to aim for!!

A diverse science

The science of positive psychology covers diverse topics such as happiness, optimism, strengths, creativity, flow, wellbeing and personal growth. The focus is on what is already right and going well for us, whilst still recognising negative emotions and challenges as natural and important aspects of our lives. And it’s not just to support our individual wellbeing, but when we for example show acts of kindness and enhance our social connections, there are also benefits for group and communities as well.

Positive psychology coaching & its benefits

Applying positive psychology can support us to thrive in all aspects of our lives. That’s why it goes so absolutely perfectly with coaching. Anyone is able to flourish, however sometimes some extra effort and the right support is needed to get there. Positive psychology coaching is an approach to coaching, that’s science-based and includes different strategies or interventions that are implemented to support the clients’ wellbeing. In my coaching practice, my mission is to support my clients to thrive at work. In every session, I apply science-based tools and models to support them, with benefits including:

• developing meaningful goals
• becoming more resilient
• maximising their strengths
• increasing their self-confidence
• improving their overall wellbeing.

This is just a very brief snapshot of positive psychology and its relationship with coaching. As I continue with my studies, which I am absolutely loving!, I’ll be very happy to share more of what I learn with you. Over to you… Are you currently flourishing? What do you already know about positive psychology? Have you already implemented positive psychology practices? If you’d like my support to flourish / thrive, then I’d be delighted to hear from you! Please get in touch at hello@kellycampino.com for a complimentary consultation.