Values Declaration Worksheet
This sheet is the values part of a legacy letter: a short written statement of what you want to have stood for. It starts from one sentence about who you most want to have been, then narrows it to two to four values and explains why each one matters to you.
How to use this sheet
- Write for about ten minutes, finishing the sentence: When I look back at my life, I most want to have been someone who...
- Pick out two to four values that appeared in what you wrote, such as honesty, courage, generosity or presence.
- For each value, write one paragraph on why it matters, where it came from, and what you want it to look like in the years ahead.
- Read your values back and check that each one is something you can commit to as it is now.
Part 1: The sentence
Write the sentence, then keep going for about ten minutes: When I look back at my life, I most want to have been someone who...
Part 2: My values
Write the two to four values that appeared in Part 1, and where in your writing each one showed up.
| Value | Where it appeared |
|---|---|
Part 3: Why each one matters
For each value in Part 2, write one paragraph: why it matters to you, where it came from, and what you want it to look like in the years ahead.
Part 4: How much it feels like me
Circle the number that matches how fully these values feel like yours, as you have written them.
- 0
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Questions to think about
- Which value did you write down because it sounded right, and which do you hold even when it is inconvenient?
- How might sharing these values with someone you love change the way you use them?
For group use
Some people list values they wish they had, such as being more patient. In a group, ask each person to rewrite one such value as a value they can commit to as it is now.
Watch out for
Listing aspirational values you wish you had, rather than values you can commit to as they are. Start with what is real, then grow from there.
Scan to continue this practice with Io
https://www.ixcoach.com/start-coaching?surface=practice&slug=legacy-letter%2Fvalues-declaration&utm_source=print&utm_medium=worksheet_qr&utm_campaign=worksheets
Sources: Hayes, Strosahl & Wilson (2012), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy — values clarification chapter. Evidence: Clinical practice.
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