What are core values and why are they important in relationships?
Core values form the basis of why we do what we do, shaping our purpose and decisions. They are fundamental aspects of our identity.
When our core values align with our actions, we tend to feel happier and more productive.
When couples’ core values and behaviors align, their relationships also tend to be happier and healthier.
All humans have character strengths, virtues, and core values.
About 20 years ago, scientists identified 24 “character strengths” that all humans possess to varying degrees.
These traits fall into six broad categories of so-called “virtues.”
- Wisdom: creativity, curiosity, critical thinking, love of learning, perspective.
- Courage: courage, perseverance, honesty, enthusiasm
- Human nature: love, kindness, social intelligence
- Justice: Teamwork, fairness, leadership
- Temperance: forgiveness, humility, prudence, self-regulation
- Transcendence: Appreciation for beauty and excellence, gratitude, hope, humor, spirituality
Virtues are characteristics that have been identified and valued across cultures and histories. Strength of character is the path to virtue.
Since the early 1980s, scientists have developed and refined the highly researched character strength approach to understanding what it means to live a happy and healthy life.
In general, people tend to have five values within themselves that are considered “signature strengths” (also known as top strengths).
Core values, strengths, and virtues are connected.
They are what define us and guide us to utilize aspects of ourselves to improve our quality of life and relationships with others.
Here are two reasons why identifying your core values and strengths can guide your romantic relationship.
1. Deepen your self-understanding by knowing your core values and strengths
By knowing yourself better, you’re more likely to recognize when a relationship is going well and when it’s time to make a change.
Familiarity with the concepts of core values and signature strengths allows us to “strengths discovery” – identifying the values of our partners that resonate with us.
2. The obvious core values associated with the happiest and healthiest relationships are relatively easy to infer.
I don’t need to explain the importance of the “big three” of trust, honesty, and integrity.
Thinking about your signature strengths provides a life-enhancing approach to living life to the fullest, rather than emphasizing flaws and shortcomings or approaching relationships with advice based on clichés. To do.
So what are the core values needed to build healthy, happy relationships?
Learn how to value character strengths and cultivate the best in yourself and others.
Dr. Elaine DanielsNHSP, RYT is a renowned psychologist and speaker at professional conferences on topics such as eating disorders and body image, and has appeared as a featured guest on local radio and television shows and on various blogs. I am.