Living Our Values This Holiday Season

By: Patricia McGuire, MA, LPC

For many of us, this time of year is typically filled with many festivities: parties, shared meals, and large family gatherings. But this year things look different. As we enter this new and uncharted holiday season, we may ask—How do I face the challenges of this season? How can I keep myself and my community safe? How can I make this time of year meaningful when it will look so different?

A helpful guide to navigate these questions is our values. Values are principles or beliefs that inform the way we live. Values direct our choices and determine the things that matter most to us. Some common values are family relationships, work, fun/leisure, and health. Each of us have different values and unique ways of living. 

Understanding our values frees us to explore options and make the choices that are best for us. 

A few values that may be important for many of us this time of year are giving, family/friends, and spirituality (or connection). In years past, maybe you participated in local volunteer or charity opportunities that aren’t happening this year. Instead of volunteering your time, you could organize an online fundraiser or send cards or gifts to an organization you support. If family/friends are a value of yours, instead of traveling to attend large family functions in person, you could celebrate this year by connecting virtually to share meals and exchange gifts. If attending religious or community events is a way you live your value of spirituality, perhaps this year you can connect with others over the phone or attend a spiritual event online. 

We can use our imagination to discover many new ways to live our values and have a meaningful experience. Values are not feelings, goals, or outcomes, but rather the compass that steers us through our experience.  I encourage us to examine our values and be creative about developing new paths to live our values this holiday season.

If you are struggling to identify your values during this holiday season, we are here to help!