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How to write a sparkling value of life essay.

What Is The Value Of Life Essay?

The value of life essay is one that every student has to write at some stage. These essays highlight various reasons to appreciate one’s life. A values of life essay answers the ever-baffling question, “What are the things that make life beautiful and worth living?”

Since it is a common subject, it can be challenging to write an essay that impresses the reader. Here are all the tips that you need:

• Make Your Reader Think

This is the most important aspect of your value of life essays. Does it give your readers something to think about? The trick is to talk about something relatable. Start with a question that you know most people have in their minds.

For instance, start your essay on the value of life with a question like, “What is the relationship between suffering and the value of life? Why do we go through the things that we do?”

You can then work your way into making it a what is life worth essay. How suffering and struggles help you learn things that shape your understanding of life.

• Talk About Personal Life Changing Experiences

There is nothing stronger than personal experiences to move your readers. Most of us have had that one life-changing moment that almost jolts you into realizing what the true meaning of life is. These moments are powerful. They give you a lot to write about and share. Just when you are wonder “Is life priceless”, these moments show you why it truly is.

When you are basing your essay on life experiences, you can use a simple flow of thought:

• Start with a relatable question as mentioned before. The answers to the question should be related to the experience you want to talk about.
• Write about your perception of this question or thought before the experience and how it changed later on.
• Conclude your value of human life essay with a few lines about what you think are the really important things in life.
• The Value of People and Relationships

There is no doubt that it is our relationships with people that keep us going through the toughest times in life. It is for the people around us that we strive and struggle each day. All our efforts are centred on them. Sometimes it is about giving your family the best and other times it is just about making them feel proud of you.

Your essay can also highlight different reasons why we must value people to value life. You can even bring in negative experiences and stories about relationships gone sour and how they taught you the true meaning of life.

Using references to relationships makes your essays on the value of life relatable. As mentioned above, that is the best way to add more depth to your essay.

• Draw from History and Mythology

The easiest way to approach a what is value of life essay is to use references from folktales, history and mythology.

The Value Of Life Essay – Top Tips For You!

When you are taking this route, remember that the story itself is not the essay. You are only providing an example from these texts to highlight your points of view. Here are some ideas to incorporate existing stories, poems and more into the value of life essay you write:

Note down what you think is the true value of life. It could be people, emotions, life principals or just about anything that you wish to highlight. Then look for stories or references in history that reiterate the same ideas. Your essay must begin with your own stance, with the story or example woven into it seamlessly.

Your essay can take one of the above approaches or can become a combination of all of them. The most important thing is to ensure that you give your readers some food for thought.

Get in touch with us today to get writing help to complete your assignment. Our experts will guide you through your essay to ensure that you have a final product that gets you great grades.

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Why do we value human life?

• The “sanctity of life” is the idea that human lives are inherently valuable — more valuable than any other material thing there is.
• The fact that we value human life owes itself to various religious traditions. Without religion, can it be justified?
• Philosophers often reference human rationality as the reason for their value. Is this good enough today?

What’s wrong with killing people? As you sit at some restaurant, ready to enjoy your meal, why can’t you just stab the chef for overcooking the steak? Why is it that we can no longer gather in packed stadiums to watch people die fighting each other in gladiatorial bouts?

Nearly all of us seem to have an unquestioned assumption that every person should continue to live; that to kill another human being is a wrong beyond no others. We unthinkingly accept that there’s something about human beings that we ought to protect and, if at all possible, avoid harming. We value human life in a way that suggests we have a magic and a sacred something that lambs, turkeys, or mosquitos do not possess.

Why do we all subscribe to the idea of the “sanctity of human life”?

A God-given gift

A lot of the value we attribute to human life comes from religion. Even if you or your country are not explicitly religious, the traditions, legal codes, and values you hold stem, at least indirectly, from religion.

If we believe a human being is ensouled in some way, or that we’re the loved and cherished children of some all-powerful deity, then it’s pretty easy to see why you ought not to murder. If you kill someone, you are offending and upsetting God, and risk everlasting damnation. You’re insulting the parent-creator by killing. It’s why all of today’s major monotheistic religions have commandments or proscriptions telling their followers to not kill. (Although, as anyone with a basic knowledge of history can tell you, rarely are these proscriptions obeyed.)

When we look beyond theistic faiths, toward karmic religions, we see that human life is meaningful for a different reason. For example, when you take a life (human or sometimes non-human), you risk gathering karma, binding your soul to the Earth for another rebirth . In Tibetan and Indian Buddhism, while human and animal life are both precious, humans are more so. This is because only humans can achieve nirvana or awakening.

Religions differ hugely across geography and time, but a key commonality is that most religions teach us we should value life, because it is either valuable to God or instrumental in rebirth.

Precious rationality

The sanctity of human life has great purchase across almost all world religions. However, when you remove religion, what philosophical arguments are left? For millennia, the answer owed much to Aristotle.

According to Aristotle, there was only one true “good” in the universe: A being that satisfies its purpose (or telos). He believed everything should live exactly as it was meant to. For humans, this means being rational and to flourish in being so. Aristotle thought that all living things could be weighed by the kind of soul they had. On the bottom rung, you have the reproductive or nutritive soul, such as of plants and trees. Next is the sensitive soul of perception and movement — the thing of the animal kingdom. At the top of the hierarchy is the intellect, or rational soul, which is uniquely human. All three souls are nested, in the sense that the higher souls contain also the lower ones; animals also reproduce, and humans also perceive. From all this, Aristotle concluded that we should value human life, due to our inherent capacity for reason.

St. Thomas Aquinas, the Christian Aristotelean philosopher, developed these beliefs into a formal “natural law” — where immoral acts were those which contradicted our God-given, but rationally intuited , purpose. The first two of Aquinas’ “primary precepts” (natural laws) were self-preservation and continuation of the species, both of which require we do not kill. For Aquinas, reason was what allowed us to discern truths of the world, and we ought to protect that: the greatest of our tools. In Islamic philosophy, there’s a similar concept of uṣūl al-fiqh . This is usually translated as jurisprudence, but it means using our reason to discover moral edicts. Reason means truth, and truth is the most important thing there is. We should value humanity because we seek to protect truth itself.

Time to be unreasonable

Today, few secular thinkers give much weight to natural law. It’s not hard to see why. For however much Aquinas and Islamic scholars elevated rationality, the idea of “truths” and “moral absolutes” as written down in the fabric of the universe depend on certain metaphysical commitments, i.e. a god or spirit which created them.

We also live in an age in which reason or the rational mind is perhaps not as celebrated as it once was. Thinkers like Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche formed the vanguard of a philosophy that focused on other aspects of human life. They saw things like passion, character, and freedom as more important parts of our nature. In fact, the opening chapter of Nietzsche’s Beyond Good and Evil is a cuttingly sardonic critique of previous philosophers’ obsession with reason and “truth”.

The Frankfurt School philosophers Max Horkheimer and Theodor W. Adorno took this even further. To them, reason did not mean a continuous, determined progress. Reason was nothing, in itself, to be so proud of. They argued that cold rationality found its horrific regression in the Nazi party and the holocaust. Lionising rationality as some sacred gift amounted only to a mythology, and a dangerous one at that.

The value of human life

Why, then, do we continue to value human life, especially above and beyond animals? If you value rationality, why is that? And does rationality, alone, bestow value on a human life?

Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of value. One is instrumental value, which is value for what something does. The other is inherent value, which is valuable because it just is. Let us entertain the first: that we value humans for their instrumental value. We might claim that a human life can be measured by the good it gives the world. If so, is it not perfectly okay to harvest organs from a vagrant and friendless scoundrel in order to keep dozens alive? Are we happy to say that some humans are more or less valuable, depending on their daily productivity or “goodness output”? Some might be fine with this, but I suspect many are not.

The other alternative is that we value life because we’ve always valued life. There’s a kind of collective unconscious (to bastardize an expression of Carl Jung) that assents and reaffirms the sanctity of life. By the stories we tell, good parenting, and moral education, we teach each generation that human life is valuable beyond all else. We establish it as the sacred myth of our time — a myth we need to constantly maintain if we want it protected.

But the philosopher’s job is not to accept the assumed inheritance of our forebears. It is to ask questions where they’re not usually asked — to peek behind the curtain and lift up the stone. As philosophers, what reasons can we give for calling human life valuable?

Jonny Thomson teaches philosophy in Oxford. He runs a popular Instagram account called Mini Philosophy (@ philosophyminis ). His first book is  Mini Philosophy: A Small Book of Big Ideas .

Personal Growth: Your Values, Your Life

Are you living your life in accordance with your values.

Posted May 7, 2012 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

Your values form the foundation of your life. They dictate the choices you make and determine the direction that your life takes. Your values will influence your decisions related to your relationships, career , and other activities you engage in.

Yet despite this importance, few people choose their values. Instead, they simply adopt the values of their parents and the dominant values of society. In all likelihood, the values that you internalized as a child remain with you through adulthood (yes, in some cases, people reject the values of their upbringings). Unfortunately, these values may also have created a life that is carrying you down a path that is not the direction you want to go.

What values were you raised with? What values are you presently living in accordance with? Are they the same or different? Do your values bring you happiness ? These are essential questions that you must ask if you are to find meaning, happiness, success, and connection in your life.

Yet, finding the answers to these questions is a challenge—and changing them in a way that will lead to fulfillment is an even greater challenge.

Deconstructing Your Values

To truly understand what values you possess and live by, you must deconstruct them until you are able to clearly see what exactly you value and why you hold those values. Looking openly and honestly at the way you were raised is the first step in identifying the values that you instilled growing up.

What did your parents value, and what values did they impress upon you—in regards to achievement, wealth, education , religion, status, independence, or appearance? Think back to your childhood and ask yourself several questions. What values were emphasized in the way your parents lived their lives? What values were stressed in your family? What values were reflected in the way you were rewarded or punished?

For example, were you rewarded for being highly ranked in your high school class and for winning in sports, or were you rewarded for giving your best effort and for helping others? You might even ask your parents to reflect back on your childhood to see what they perceived their values to be and what values they wanted to emphasize in your upbringing.

Your next step in the deconstruction process involves looking at your present life and the values your life reflects. In responding to these questions, you should ask yourself what values underlie your answers. What do you do for a living—are you a corporate employee, a business owner, a teacher, salesperson, caterer, or social worker?

A common question that people in social gathering ask is, what do you do for a living? Periodically, I have seen people get rather defensive in response to this question. They say, “Who cares what I do? What I do is not who I am.” I would suggest otherwise, at least to some degree. Assuming people have choices in the career paths they take, which one they choose reflects who they are and what they value.

For example, though it's a bit of a generalization, it is probably safe to say that someone who becomes an investment banker has different values than someone who becomes an elementary school teacher. What those underlying values might be may vary, but one might assume that the investment banker values money, while the teacher values education and helping children.

Where do you live—do you live in a high-rise apartment in a city, in the suburbs, or in the country—and what values led you there? What activities do you engage in most—cultural, physical, religious, political, social—and what values are reflected in those activities? What do you talk about mostly— politics , religion, the economy, other people—and what does that tell you about your values?

Finally, perhaps the most telling question reflecting what you value is: What do you spend your money on—a home, cars, travel, clothing, education, art, charity? Because money is a limited resource for most people, they will use their money in ways that they value most. Above anything else, where people spend their hard-earned money says the most about their values.

You can then ask yourself whether your current values are the same as those you grew up with. Have you gone through a period of examination and reconsideration? Have you consciously chosen to discard some values from your upbringing and adopt new ones?

My experience with people who live unsatisfying lives is that the values they grew up with mostly weren’t unhealthy and that their present values haven’t changed since childhood. They never questioned their values. Instead, they simply bought into them early in their lives and created their life around those values. In contrast, fulfilled people tended to grow up with life-affirming values or had a “crisis of conscience ” in early adulthood that caused them to re-evaluate and modify their values.

Now that you have deconstructed your life and have a clear idea of what you value, you can see the values upon which you have created your life. You can see whether those values contribute to your dissatisfaction or bring you happiness. Look at which aspects of your life contribute to your unhappiness—your career, marriage , lifestyle—and ask yourself what values underlie those parts of your life.

For example, if your career in the business world makes you unhappy—no judgment intended, but many of my clients happen to come from corporate life—you need to ask yourself what values you have held that led you to a career in business and how those values presently cause you to be an unhappy success.

Popular Culture and Values

A recurring theme that runs throughout my work is that inadvertently buying into the values that predominate popular culture, for example, winning, status, power, appearance, and conspicuous consumption, is a leading cause of life dissatisfaction. The popular culture in America today—as reflected in our various media—no longer has the time, attention span, or energy to devote to weighty and deep issues such as values. It is much easier to focus on the superficial “things” in our culture. Thus, the pursuit of wealth and material goods has become the dominant “value” in much of our society, in the mistaken belief that these values will bring people happiness.

One of the most powerful ways in which this “value” was impressed on you was in how you learned to define success. Popular culture typically defines success winning, wealth, status, physical appearance, and popularity—the more money and power you have and the more attractive and popular you are, the more successful you would be. Growing up with these definitions, success was largely unattainable for most people.

At the same time, our culture made losing even more intolerable to contemplate—being poor, powerless, unattractive, and unpopular is simply unacceptable. With these restrictive definitions, you may have believed, like so many others, that you were caught in the untenable situation of having little opportunity for success and great chance for failure .

Blindly having accepted society’s narrow definitions of success and failure takes away your power to decide how you wish to define them. By buying into popular culture’s limiting definitions of success and failure rather than choosing definitions based on your own values, you can’t become truly successful and happy because you are forced down a path that is, for most people, impossible to attain and that is not truly yours. You may become successful in the eyes of society, but you probably won’t feel like a success yourself. And this path certainly won’t bring you meaning, happiness, or real success in your life.

Jim Taylor, Ph.D. , teaches at the University of San Francisco.

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29 Of The Most Important Values To Live By

What values are important to a life well lived?

What do you want to be known for?

What qualities do you admire in others and work to cultivate in yourself?

And how do those qualities reflect your core beliefs?

Your life values are those that, once you identify them, help you with decision-making and provide the building blocks for your character — specifically the one you want to have.

For example, if one of your top values in life is courage, you’ll likely seek out new challenges so you can act in spite of the fear that comes when you’re faced with the possibility of failure or rejection.

And if forgiveness has recently become one of your values to live by, you’ll want to remind yourself of your new commitment when you’re about to spend time with someone who has hurt you in the past .

What Are Values in Life?

Why are values in life important, 2. kindness, 3. patience, 4. integrity, 5. gratitude / appreciation, 6. forgiveness, 9. listening, 10. respect, 11. self-giving, 13. authenticity , 14. balance, 15. community , 16. compassion , 17. creativity , 18. generosity , 19. justice , 20. learning, 21. freedom, 22. loyalty , 23. openness, 24. prudence , 25. resilience, 26. responsibility, 27. self-respect , 28. spirituality, 29. wisdom .

But what is the point of identifying your values, and how do they contribute to your growth and happiness?

To answer this question, we’re exploring 29 of the most important values in life and showing how they influence everything you do.

But before we do that, it makes sense to explain what values are in the first place.

Values are about what you consider important to the life you want to live. They inform your priorities and, when practiced consistently, form the character you want to have.

They’re rooted in your core beliefs about what makes for a life well-lived and about the behavior you want to model for others (including children if you have them).

Look at them as the guideposts for your actions and decisions — the themes around which you want to design your life based on the type of person you aspire to be.

You may inherit many of your life values from your parents or from societal expectations. But it's up to you to prioritize these values and discern how you'll honor and act on them daily.

Shared values are the basis for a common code – a value-based compass – that speeds up decision-making and unites those who share that code.

By expressing those values, the common code articulates different aspects of the shared mission and becomes the key motivator for those who share it.

Defining your core values gives you parameters for actions and decisions that can keep you out of trouble, improve your confidence and self-esteem, and further your life goals.

Without them, you are rudderless and reactive to the challenges and choices life presents to you.

You can take each of the following examples of values in life to create a code or motto that motivates you to practice that value every day, so it will become second nature when it’s most needed.

29 Most Important Values To Life By

Courage is about doing what you believe needs to be done — not in the absence of fear but in spite of it.

You might feel disinclined to offer a genuine apology out of fear that the other will reject it, but courage will help you apologize anyway because it’s the right thing to do out of respect for the one you hurt or offended. Whether they accept your apology or not is their business.

Courage requires a step outside of your comfort zone. If you have no fear, you don’t need courage, but when something you know you have to do makes you feel sick inside, courage is what makes you do that thing anyway.

Courage code (or motto): “I do what needs to be done, even when fear comes along for the ride.”

Kindness is about treating others the way you want to be treated.

It’s more than just holding your tongue when you’re tempted to say something unkind; kindness looks for ways to make life better for others. It takes delight in lifting others up and reminding them they’re not alone, invisible, or insignificant.

Kindness and compassion are closely related; the latter involves the readiness to see a situation from someone else’s perspective and to give them the benefit of the doubt. It also takes into consideration what the other person has gone through and chooses to respond with kindness rather than anger or vengefulness.

Both demonstrate at least a subliminal appreciation for the connectedness of all living beings; when you show kindness and compassion to others, you benefit (at least) as much as they do.

Kindness to yourself is also important, and it’s the basis for self-care. Don’t forget to be as kind to yourself as you want others to be.

Schedule time each day for reasonable and thoughtful self-care , and practice mindfulness to be fully present for it. In practicing kindness to yourself, you also make yourself better able to render kindness to others.

Kindness code: “I treat others as I want to be treated — with thoughtfulness, patience, and respect.”

When someone is pushing your buttons, taking your time or attention away from something you want to finish, or making your life harder in some way, you practice patience by putting yourself in the others’ shoes, trying to see the situation from their perspective, and responding with kindness and respect.

No one wants to be treated like an inconvenience or a burden, and sometimes your priorities have to change to make room for something (or someone) more important or more likely to help you grow.

Patience code: “No matter how I feel when someone interrupts me or gets in my way, I always treat them with the same patience I hope for from others when necessity compels me to interrupt them or get in their way.”

Integrity is about acting and speaking in accordance with your beliefs.

If you say one thing but do the opposite, witnesses to this contradiction aren’t likely to recognize you as a person of integrity. They’re more likely to accuse you of hypocrisy.

Though you may not be fully conscious of the disagreement between your words and actions, if you believe one thing but your actions profess a contradictory belief, you might feel a growing unease and unhappiness with the way you’re acting.

It doesn’t feel right. And you’re faced with a choice: either change your belief, or change your actions.

Integrity code: “What I believe is made clear by what I say and do.”

When gratitude is a core belief, you make time for it every day. You prioritize both feeling gratitude and expressing it — in your thoughts, in the words you speak or write, and in your attitude and actions.

You might create the habit of writing a daily gratitude list. And if you recognize the importance of emotion to the fullest experience of gratitude, you’ll likewise place a high value on a daily mindfulness practice.

Showing appreciation to others for their words and actions is also essential to making this a core value. Just as you appreciate it when others thank you for a job well done, for a thoughtful gift, or for rendering the help they needed, others appreciate that recognition too.

And far too often, we act as though others must already know how much we appreciate them. Don’t assume that they do; make sure of it.

Gratitude code: “In the morning, throughout the day, and in the evening, I feel and express gratitude for the good things in my life. And I make sure everyone who has done something good for me knows I appreciate them for it.”

Forgiveness is about letting go of anger and resentment toward those who have hurt or offended you.

You’re not saying what they did was okay or not a big deal; you’re acknowledging that what they did was hurtful but choosing to forgive them in order to be free of the anger and resentment (toward them) that are making you miserable.

In forgiving them, you take back your power and choose happiness and peace of soul for yourself, even if the one who hurt you has never shown the slightest hint of remorse.

Everyone has a capacity for forgiveness — just as everyone has the capacity to hurt others with their words and actions — but not everyone has cultivated a habit of forgiveness.

We learn to be more forgiving by forgiving more. If you write morning pages, add a short list of people you forgive, adding what you forgive them for and something you appreciate about each person.

Forgiveness code: “I forgive those who have hurt me, because I know I’ve made mistakes and hurt people, too, and I want to be free of this anger and resentment. I choose freedom, and I choose to genuinely want (and work for) the good of those who’ve hurt me.”

Love sees the good in everyone, and it wants good things for them. You may not always know what’s best for someone else, but if you love them, you want their ultimate happiness, and you want to see them grow.

You recognize that no one reaches adulthood with their character fixed and unchangeable; we’re all a work in progress. Things your 20-year-old self would say might appall your 40-year-old self. It’s part of being human if you’re a human that continues to grow.

Did someone you love do terrible things in their 20’s or 30’s — things they would never do now (in their mid-40’s)?

Forgive them for not knowing better before they learned whatever stopped them from doing those terrible things. And forgive yourself for not knowing that human beings are all capable of terrible things — just as we’re also capable of growth.

When you love someone, you don’t base that love on the kind of person they were ten or twenty years ago, or on the person you hope they become or that you wish they were. Your love tells them, “You are enough — just as you are today.”

You recognize that their beliefs and behavior may change as they grow, but since your love doesn’t depend on what they believe or on whether you agree on everything, your love doesn’t lessen with time and with the challenges those changes bring.

Love code: “I love with both passion and understanding; real love is wide awake.”

If growth is one of your core values, you look for opportunities to grow as a person and to help others grow, too.

You take the time to identify your values and your overall mission , so you can live in accordance with it and become more and more the person you have to be in order to fulfill your mission.

You know that growth isn’t a destination but a process, and you want to enjoy that process and help others to enjoy their own.

You might take an interest in coaching or in group growth opportunities, where members support and encourage each other. You recognize true and wholehearted collaboration as an asset and a growth facilitator, and you prioritize growth over comfort and security.

Real growth might mean shaking things up at home or at work, but the more committed you are to your growth and to that of those you care about, the less you mind rocking the boat.

Growth code: “Every day, I’m growing more into the person I want to be.”

If active listening is a core value for you, you value others’ input and invest time and energy in learning how to see things from their perspectives.

So, it makes sense that when someone wants to tell you something, you give them your full attention and thoughtfully consider their words.

Whereas before, you felt tense with the expectation of having to defend your beliefs against an unfriendly viewpoint, you’ve learned (through practice) to listen with genuine openness rather than an ego-centric fear of being proven wrong.

You recognize that you don’t know everything, and you don’t see even familiar things from every angle, so you appreciate it when others share their perspectives. And your body language, as well as your feedback, shows them you’re listening and that you care about what they have to say.

Listening code: “I listen to others with my full attention, so I can learn from them and show thoughtful consideration for their ideas.”

If you want to be known for treating all human (or living) beings with respect, you probably base that respect on something more fundamental than someone’s rank or social status.

Otherwise, why would you consider it a priority to treat all humans with equal respect — regardless of their age, income, or background?

Or why would you put more energy into making sure the least exalted among you is treated with respect than into making sure others treat you with the same consideration?

It doesn’t mean you don’t consider yourself equally worthy of respect, but you find it easy to put yourself in other people’s shoes, so in making sure they feel respected, you feel more respected, too.

Respect code: “I treat all living beings with the same respect with which I like to be treated.”

Another word for self-giving is sacrifice, but self-giving has a more positive connotation. Essentially, you’re giving of yourself — your time, your attention, your energy, your treasure, your abilities — to help or enrich another.

Real love doesn’t hesitate to give of itself until it hurts, knowing that the momentary pain is nothing compared to the benefit won by that self-giving.

The word “selfless” implies that someone has given so much of themselves, they’ve reserved nothing for their own use or enjoyment, but in giving yourself — if you give out of love — your joy is in what that gift brings to others.

Self-giving can be overdone but only when the motive is pride (or insecurity) rather than love.

Self-giving code: “I give of myself to others not only to connect with them but to acknowledge our connectedness. What I give to them, I also receive.”

You may be used to talking about vision in the context of a specific person’s “vision for the future,” but the larger sense of vision is not something that you own or that comes from you; it comes through you and inspires you and others.

Because the larger vision isn't confined to your ego, the power of that vision is free to attract, illuminate, and flow through you.

Your vision is connected to one that is infinite and uncontainable — you do not exist to serve yourself at the expense of others; you exist to cooperate with others in the creation of a community that benefits all living creatures.

Your personal vision – what you see as your response to the larger vision — informs your personal mission and the process by which you live out that mission.

It’s not about the lifestyle you want or the things you’ll have when you’re “successful.” It has more to do with allowing yourself to be led by the greater vision through your personal links to it — your intuition and inner wisdom.

Vision code: “I live according to a vision guided by my inner wisdom and judgment.”

Authenticity is being truthful about who you are. It means speaking your truth, openly and honestly — not hiding for fear of criticism or judgment, which will come anyway. 

As an authentic person, you don’t expect or need to be liked by everyone. You accept that some will have a problem with you and find it easy to judge you for what you reveal yourself. Some will feel affronted by your “out there-ness.”  

That doesn’t stop you from living your life as you choose to, nor does it stop you from sharing some of what you’ve learned from your own mistakes. You put it out there, trusting that at least one reader will feel less alone because of it. 

It’s a gamble you’re willing to make. You don’t see the point in pretending to be someone you’re not or hiding who you are. You know some will see your faults more easily and focus on them, but their opinions aren’t your responsibility — or your business. 

And there’s freedom in recognizing that. 

Authenticity code: “I live and speak my truth, choosing not to fear criticism or judgment.” 

It’s not easy to balance work, relationships, and self-care. But you know from experience how important it is to do so. 

It’s too easy to sideline self-care to get more done — or to put off date nights with your partner so you can impress the boss and (possibly) score that pay-raise or promotion. Do it once, and it’s even easier to do it again. And again. Etcetera. 

This is not the way to live, though, and you know it. So, you take note of where you are on your priority list when you review your actions for the day. You also take note of how much time you’ve invested in your relationships . You see the slope for what it is. 

Then, you make some adjustments. You start building new habits to prioritize daily self-care and a daily investment in your relationships. And contrary to your fears, you don’t run out of time for work. You still get things done. 

And you even enjoy it more than you used to. Because balance. 

Balance code: “When my priorities are in the right order, balance happens.”

As a community-minded person, while you’re not responsible for how other people might feel about you or your actions, you choose to consider the impact of your choices on the people around you. You value their safety and well-being and have goodwill toward them. 

You know your behavior toward those in your community can affect them in various ways, and you want that effect to be as positive as possible. You can’t control what others think of you, but you can control what you say and what actions you take. 

When you give up your seat to someone who looks tired and stressed, you step outside yourself to offer comfort or silent empathy to another. When you quietly disregard someone else’s petty criticism, you choose a better way forward for you both. 

And whether you have an active and visible presence in the community or you prefer to work behind the scenes, you make it a priority to leave it better off than you found it. 

Community code: “I value all members of my community, whatever their beliefs or backgrounds.”  

Compassion is what helps you overcome the impulse to judge another harshly or to find fault with them — choosing to see the good, even when it’s hidden. 

You put yourself in their shoes to see the situation from a different perspective. You’re open to what they have to say and slow to assume they’re in the wrong. 

You want to understand them more than you want to be right. 

This doesn’t obligate you to expose yourself to the negativity and judgment of others. You might temporarily block someone’s access to you to protect your headspace and well-being. But you don’t rule out the possibility of reconciliation and growth. 

You want to see others — even those who’ve hurt you — happy and growing. Ultimately, what they think of you doesn’t matter. And it’s not your business. 

You let go of the hurt and send them warm, compassionate thoughts. Because you’re aware of your own faults. And you want everyone to get out of this life in better shape. 

Compassion code: “I make compassion the foundation of my behavior and thoughts toward others.”

You are a creator. As such, you have both the potential and the innate drive to create things that make lives better (including your own). 

No matter how you express this impulse — through writing, art, craftsmanship, chemistry, robotics, etc. — you put something of yourself into every creation. And from that something, other things grow. You bear a living fingerprint, and you leave your own. 

So, it makes sense for creativity to be one of your key values, not just because others see you as “a creative sort” but because the creative impulse is your birthright, and you don’t consider a life well-lived that doesn’t honor that impulse and explore its potential. 

You don’t wait for the day to bring you something new; you take what you have and create something. And being a social creature (more or less), you enjoy creating things you know other people will enjoy. 

Creativity code: “I am a creator with a unique genius all my own, which I use every day.”

Generosity is a willingness to share your blessings with those who have less. It’s easy enough to share with people you know and like; it’s another thing to share with those you don’t get along with or who seem to think you owe them what you have. 

The thing is, no one has a right to hoard resources, and it makes no sense when one person can only enjoy so much. You would rather share what you have so that fewer people will feel the pain of hunger and lack. Fewer will feel neglected, forgotten, or invisible. 

You know generosity is about more than donating money or spending a bit more to support a worthy cause. A truly generous spirit is also quick to share intangible blessings: kindness, patience, goodwill, understanding, and forgiveness. 

You don’t keep treasure of any kind locked up and of no use to anyone while people around you are starving or in pain. You put yourself in their place and share what you have to make their lives better. 

Otherwise, what’s the point of having more than enough? 

Generosity code: “I share my wealth with those who have less and we all benefit.” 

Justice — to be worthy of the name — must apply equally to all people, regardless of their race, gender identity, income, age, or sexual orientation. You’ve seen injustice, and you share the anger of those who’ve suffered it. 

Justice is a driving force for you because you see it denied to so many because their race or gender isn’t represented or respected by those in power. You’ll do what you can to correct that. 

Maybe you’ve chosen a career that allows you to fight to obtain justice for the under-served. Or maybe you’ll use your creative talent or time or other resources to further causes for justice. 

Whatever you do, it’s not to score points or to be seen. It’s to look these fellow human beings in the eye and let them know you see them and want what they want. 

Because they have as much right to justice as anyone else. 

Justice code: “I do what I can to fight injustice wherever I see it. I am my brother’s keeper.”

You’re a big believer in the value of always learning. As an independent scholar, you look for ways to learn about the things that interest you. And you have plenty of resources to choose from: books, video documentaries, websites, podcasts , TED talks, etc. 

You’re so hungry for learning that you might find it hard to spend your reading time on fiction — though you do love a good story. It’s just that there are so many things you want to learn more about, and you have so little time (comparatively) to sit and relax with a book. 

You have so many interests that it’s hard to stay focused on just one. And you love to find connections between seemingly disparate ideas and disciplines. 

The more you learn, the more you realize how little you know and how much more there is to learn, which excites you. You know you’ll never run out of things to learn. And it will never get boring. 

Learning code: “I aim not to become an expert but to always be learning.” 

Viktor Frankl called the last of human freedoms the freedom “to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.” Another way to describe this is by exercising your responsibility for your own thoughts and feelings. 

You choose how to feel about something, just as you choose how to act. 

That inner freedom is what you value more than any flag or statue or anthem. Because no one can take that away from you. It’s perfectly understandable also to cherish the outward freedoms you enjoy. But if you lost them , you would not also lose yourself. 

So, while you will always speak up against injustice and against tyranny (as well you should), you also recognize that, if you were to lose the advantages you now enjoy — and any of us could — you would not live as though you had no freedom at all. 

You can always decide how you will react. You know that freedom without responsibility is a recipe for chaos. And responsibility without freedom is impossible. They depend on each other. 

Freedom code: “I exercise my freedom to choose how I react, how I feel, and what I do.”  

Loyalty implies a connection or implicit agreement between two people. When you’re loyal to someone, they hold a special place in your life. They take priority over others. Their concerns have more weight with you. 

You probably hope to have the same effect on the people you love. You hope you hold a special place in their lives and that, if you needed them, they’d show up for you. 

Other words that come to mind in connection with loyalty are faithfulness, dependability, trustworthiness, allegiance, and attachment. When you mull over these words, certain people come to the forefront. And you hope the loyalty is mutual. 

You feel the effects of your loyalty toward others, mainly because of how your loyalty-inspired actions affect you and the people around you. In the same way, other people’s loyalty or lack of loyalty toward you has an effect. 

As long as the loyalty (or lack thereof) doesn’t sabotage anyone’s best interest, the effects are generally good. You see the potential dark side of loyalty — when it takes priority over the best interests of those involved — and you keep it in mind. 

Loyalty code: “I value loyalty that does good to everyone connected with it.” 

You’re open to new people and new experiences. From the moment you heard the words, “I’ll try (just about) anything once,” you made it your mantra and repeated it in your mind whenever you faced something new: 

• A new job opportunity
• A new kind of food or drink
• A new place for a vacation or roadtrip
• A new person with new ideas 
• A new clothing or shoe style

It’s not that you necessarily crave novelty, but you do want to be open to considering different viewpoints, perspectives, and ideas. As with compassion, you want to understand them more than you want to be right. 

You know your mind hasn’t comprehended everything there is to comprehend. You know there’s always more to learn. And just as you value continual learning, you value openness and the curiosity that supports it. 

Maybe there’s really “nothing new under the sun,” but it’s enough that it’s new for you. 

Openness code: “I welcome new experiences, new ideas, and new people.” 

Generally speaking, prudence is doing or saying the right thing at the right time in the right way. You can have great timing and get it wrong anyway. You can also do the right thing in the right way and still end up with regrets. 

Prudence looks at the bigger picture and the deeper consequences of your words and actions. You value prudence because, much as you want to do something , you know sometimes the situation calls for patience and circumspection. 

You know the value of prudence has nothing to do with prudishness. And you don’t confuse real prudence with the paralysis that comes from obsessing over all the things that could go wrong. Prudence contains wisdom — not paranoia. 

And it has nothing to do with fake purity or self-righteousness. 

The best leaders cultivate prudence to better serve those they lead. The best teachers cultivate prudence to encourage and challenge their students in the most effective way. The best therapists value prudence because it helps them make the most of their intuition.

Prudence is the ultimate superpower.  

Prudence code: “I’m cultivating prudence to make the best possible impact on every life I touch.” 

Resilience is the ability to recover from and adapt to change or misfortune. In other words, when things go bad, you find a way to pivot and keep moving forward. Life knocks you down, and you get back up — every time. 

You don’t pat yourself on the back for it. You do it because ya gotta. Quitting is just waiting to die. And you want more out of life than an extended hospice stay. 

If there’s a way to get back up and get moving again, you’ll find it because you don’t see any acceptable alternatives. So, even if you’d like to stop existing for an hour or so (just to catch a break), you look at your options and grab onto something. 

It doesn’t have to be something you can hold onto for long. You don’t look at each getting up as proof you can’t be kept down for long. Life is moment to moment. You haven’t undergone every test, and this getting back up is your answer to only one of them.

But the more you respond to knock-downs by getting back up, the more automatic it becomes. 

Resilience code: “I cultivate resilience by looking for the lesson in every challenge.”

You take responsibility for your words and actions and how they impact your life and the lives of others. When you’ve hurt someone, you do what you can to make amends. You’re not too proud to apologize when you know you’re in the wrong. 

On the other hand, you do not take responsibility for the way others feel about you. You do nothing to offend others deliberately, and if you’re aware that a certain expression gives offense, you respect others enough to apologize and abandon that expression for good. 

You address others with their proper pronouns and treat them with the same respect you hope to receive. When you fail in this, you apologize and strive to do better. 

But while you own your own feelings and don’t blame them on others, you don’t own the feelings others might blame on you. 

• Owning: “When you said that, I felt [insert feeling here].”
• Blaming: “When you said that, you made me feel [insert feeling here].” 

Much as you might enjoy bringing a smile to people’s faces, you know you’re not responsible for someone else’s feelings, just as no one else is responsible for yours. 

Responsibility code: “I take responsibility for my own words, actions, and feelings.” 

You know the value of self-respect because you’ve seen the consequences for those who have none. And you’ve seen how easy it is to deprioritize yourself when so many other priorities crowd your plate. 

• You have to keep earning, so you can pay the bills.
• You have to help the youngest with school work. 
• You have to run errands to buy food, etc. 
• You have to attend those weekly appointments and/or meetings. 

The unspoken words at the end of each of those “You have to” statements is the dreaded “or else…” And the imagined consequences seem far worse than simply postponing a shower so you can get something finished in time for one of those appointments. 

You know how it feels: scrambling to take care of everything and everyone but yourself. 

So, you’ve committed to practicing daily self-care as an affirmation of self-love and self-respect. You deserve to be cared for as much as anyone else. 

Self-care is key to creating balance in your life. When you prioritize self-respect, other things tend to fall into place. 

Self-Respect code: “I show self-respect in my commitment to daily self-care and self-expression.” 

What is spirituality, if not a healthy respect for the unseen guides and guardians that watch over us and take an interest in our personal development? You don’t have to be religious to be spiritual or to make room in your daily life for spirituality. 

Your connection to this value is related to your openness and commitment to learning. You know you don’t know everything. And there’s plenty you don’t see that you don’t understand. But you’d like to understand it better. 

You believe exploring your spirituality with trustworthy guides helps you become more and more the person you want to be. You’ll understand your own potential and personality better.

And the better you know yourself, the less you’ll feel the need to conform to someone else’s idea of what you should be or what you should be doing. 

Spirituality isn’t about being less than a god or being obedient to religious authority. It’s exploring the needs and potential of your own spirit and its relation to others. 

Spirituality code: “I tend to my spiritual needs and concerns as part of my daily self-care.”

You’ve learned plenty from your years of school, but one of the most important lessons taught you the importance of wisdom — far and above the value of raw intelligence. 

Wisdom is the ability to apply what you know (knowledge) — along with your intelligence — to make the right choices. Ultimately, you know that has more to do with your happiness than your IQ or even your EQ (emotional intelligence). 

Wisdom can guide you to make better use of everything you have, including your money, talents and skills, and time. 

Wisdom looks beyond what’s easy or what feels urgent. It seeks balance and growth. Neither is possible when you take yourself or your relationships off the priority list or when you put other things ahead of them. 

Real wisdom knows what burnout is and how you get there. And wisdom, like prudence, is about the bigger picture. 

Wisdom is about you seeing the most important thing and focusing on that. 

Wisdom code: “I cultivate wisdom to make better choices, to know and heal myself, and to grow.”

More Related Articles:

Excellence Redefined: The 15 Essential Traits of a High-Value Man

19 Questions to Ask Yourself To Know If You Really Like A Guy Or Just Want The Attention

Help Children Understand Their Emotions With These 11 Feelings Charts For Kids

Final Thoughts

Now, it’s your turn.

What are your values? And what will you do today to put one (or more) of them into practice?

One small action today makes more of a difference than you probably realize.

Think of each small action as a seed you plant that, as long as you nurture it along the way, grows into a healthy tree with roots and branches, shedding seeds of its own.

Your values are the life in every seed you plant. Choose the best values, and make them part of your blueprint for personal growth.

And may your courage and passion for growth influence everything you do today.

1 thought on “29 Of The Most Important Values To Live By”

Thank you for this. The list is quite comprehensive and exhausts most values that are regarded as important.

The value that spoke out to me is Learning. We constantly need to learn. It’s the one thing that’s constant in life apart from change.

Extremely grateful for this article.

Comments are closed.

Essay on Value of Life

Students are often asked to write an essay on Value of Life in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Value of Life

Understanding life’s worth.

Life is a precious gift, filled with opportunities and experiences. It’s a journey of learning, growing, and making a difference.

Valuing Every Moment

Every moment of life is priceless. It’s the small moments, like laughing with friends or spending time with family, that give life its value.

Learning from Challenges

Life’s challenges are valuable lessons. They help us grow, build resilience, and understand the world better.

Contributing to the World

Our value is not just in living, but also contributing. Helping others and making the world better adds value to our lives.

250 Words Essay on Value of Life

The concept of life’s value.

The value of life is a complex, multifaceted concept, often subjective and varying across different cultures, societies, and individuals. It is a philosophical question that has perplexed humanity since the dawn of thought.

Quantifying the Unquantifiable

In many aspects of society, attempts are made to quantify life’s value. Economists, for instance, use a measurement called the Value of a Statistical Life (VSL) to assess the economic impact of policies that could risk human life. However, this approach, while pragmatic, is inherently flawed. It reduces the richness of human experience to a mere numerical figure, neglecting the innumerable facets of life that make it precious.

The Personal Perspective

From a personal standpoint, the value of life is immeasurable. It is a treasure trove of experiences, emotions, relationships, and learning. Each life is unique, with its own set of accomplishments and failures, joys and sorrows, love and loss. It is this uniqueness that gives life its intrinsic value.

Life’s Value in the Cosmic Scale

When viewed from a cosmic perspective, life’s value becomes even more profound. In the vastness of the universe, life as we know it is a rare phenomenon, making it a precious and invaluable entity.

In conclusion, the value of life cannot be quantified or measured. It is a deeply personal and subjective concept, influenced by individual experiences and societal norms. Life’s true value lies in its uniqueness and rarity in the cosmos, making it an entity to be cherished and respected.

500 Words Essay on Value of Life

The intrinsic value of life.

Life, in its broadest sense, is an intricate tapestry of experiences, interactions, and emotions. Its value is not quantifiable in terms of wealth, success, or power, but rather in the richness of experiences, relationships, and personal growth.

Life and Experiences

The value of life is often perceived through the lens of experiences. Every encounter, whether joyful or sorrowful, contributes to the uniqueness of our existence. It’s through these experiences that we learn, grow, and evolve. The pain sharpens our strength, while joy nurtures our soul. Each experience is a building block in the edifice of our life, adding to its overall value.

Life and Relationships

In the realm of relationships, life finds its profound worth. Interactions with others provide a mirror to our existence, reflecting our virtues and flaws. As social beings, we thrive on connections, deriving joy, comfort, and wisdom from them. Relationships enrich our lives, teaching us empathy, compassion, and love. The value of life, thus, is interwoven with the quality of our relationships.

Life and Personal Growth

The journey of life is also a journey of personal growth. The value of life is amplified by our ability to learn, change, and mature. As we navigate through life’s labyrinth, we acquire skills, knowledge, and wisdom. We learn to overcome challenges, adapt to changes, and nurture resilience. The pursuit of personal growth and self-improvement adds a significant dimension to the value of life.

Life and Purpose

In conclusion, the value of life is a complex amalgamation of experiences, relationships, personal growth, and purpose. It transcends materialistic measurements, reflecting instead the depth and breadth of our existence. Every life, in its uniqueness, holds immeasurable value. As we journey through life, let us strive to enrich our experiences, nurture our relationships, pursue personal growth, and live with purpose, thereby enhancing the inherent value of our lives.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Happy studying!

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Essays About Values: 5 Essay Examples Plus 10 Prompts

Similar to how our values guide us, let this guide with essays about values and writing prompts help you write your essay.

Values are the core principles that guide the actions we take and the choices we make. They are the cornerstones of our identity. On a community or organizational level, values are the moral code that every member must embrace to live harmoniously and work together towards shared goals. 

We acquire our values from different sources such as parents, mentors, friends, cultures, and experiences. All of these build on one another — some rejected as we see fit — for us to form our perception of our values and what will lead us to a happy and fulfilled life.

5 Essay Examples

1. what today’s classrooms can learn from ancient cultures by linda flanagan, 2. stand out to your hiring panel with a personal value statement by maggie wooll, 3. make your values mean something by patrick m. lencioni, 4. how greed outstripped need by beth azar, 5. a shift in american family values is fueling estrangement by joshua coleman, 1. my core values, 2. how my upbringing shaped my values, 3. values of today’s youth, 4. values of a good friend, 5. an experience that shaped your values, 6. remembering our values when innovating, 7. important values of school culture, 8. books that influenced your values, 9. religious faith and moral values, 10. schwartz’s theory of basic values.

“Connectedness is another core value among Maya families, and teachers seek to cultivate it… While many American teachers also value relationships with their students, that effort is undermined by the competitive environment seen in many Western classrooms.”

Ancient communities keep their traditions and values of a hands-off approach to raising their kids. They also preserve their hunter-gatherer mindsets and others that help their kids gain patience, initiative, a sense of connectedness, and other qualities that make a helpful child.

“How do you align with the company’s mission and add to its culture? Because it contains such vital information, your personal value statement should stand out on your resume or in your application package.”

Want to rise above other candidates in the jobs market? Then always highlight your value statement. A personal value statement should be short but still, capture the aspirations and values of the company. The essay provides an example of a captivating value statement and tips for crafting one.

“Values can set a company apart from the competition by clarifying its identity and serving as a rallying point for employees. But coming up with strong values—and sticking to them—requires real guts.”

Along with the mission and vision, clear values should dictate a company’s strategic goals. However, several CEOs still needed help to grasp organizational values fully. The essay offers a direction in setting these values and impresses on readers the necessity to preserve them at all costs. 

“‘He compared the values held by people in countries with more competitive forms of capitalism with the values of folks in countries that have a more cooperative style of capitalism… These countries rely more on strategic cooperation… rather than relying mostly on free-market competition as the United States does.”

The form of capitalism we have created today has shaped our high value for material happiness. In this process, psychologists said we have allowed our moral and ethical values to drift away from us for greed to take over. You can also check out these essays about utopia .

“From the adult child’s perspective, there might be much to gain from an estrangement: the liberation from those perceived as hurtful or oppressive, the claiming of authority in a relationship, and the sense of control over which people to keep in one’s life. For the mother or father, there is little benefit when their child cuts off contact.”

It is most challenging when the bonds between parent and child weaken in later years. Psychologists have been navigating this problem among modern families, which is not an easy conflict to resolve. It requires both parties to give their best in humbling themselves and understanding their loved ones, no matter how divergent their values are. 

10 Writing  Prompts On Essays About Values

For this topic prompt, contemplate your non-negotiable core values and why you strive to observe them at all costs. For example, you might value honesty and integrity above all else. Expound on why cultivating fundamental values leads to a happy and meaningful life. Finally, ponder other values you would like to gain for your future self. Write down how you have been practicing to adopt these aspired values. 

Many of our values may have been instilled in us during childhood. This essay discusses the essential values you gained from your parents or teachers while growing up. Expound on their importance in helping you flourish in your adult years. Then, offer recommendations on what households, schools, or communities can do to ensure that more young people adopt these values.

Is today’s youth lacking essential values, or is there simply a shift in what values generations uphold? Strive to answer this and write down the healthy values that are emerging and dying. Then think of ways society can preserve healthy values while doing away with bad ones. Of course, this change will always start at home, so also encourage parents, as role models, to be mindful of their words, actions and behavior.  

The greatest gift in life is friendship. In this essay, enumerate the top values a friend should have. You may use your best friend as an example. Then, cite the best traits your best friend has that have influenced you to be a better version of yourself. Finally, expound on how these values can effectively sustain a healthy friendship in the long term. 

We all have that one defining experience that has forever changed how we see life and the values we hold dear. Describe yours through storytelling with the help of our storytelling guide . This experience may involve a decision, a conversation you had with someone, or a speech you heard at an event.  

With today’s innovation, scientists can make positive changes happen. But can we truly exercise our values when we fiddle with new technologies whose full extent of positive and adverse effects we do not yet understand such as AI? Contemplate this question and look into existing regulations on how we curb the creation or use of technologies that go against our values. Finally, assess these rules’ effectiveness and other options society has. 

Highlight a school’s role in honing a person’s values. Then, look into the different aspects of your school’s culture. Identify which best practices distinct in your school are helping students develop their values. You could consider whether your teachers exhibit themselves as admirable role models or specific parts of the curriculum that help you build good character. 

In this essay, recommend your readers to pick up your favorite books, particularly those that served as pathways to enlightening insights and values. To start, provide a summary of the book’s story. It would be better if you could do so without revealing too much to avoid spoiling your readers’ experience. Then, elaborate on how you have applied the values you learned from the book.

For many, religious faith is the underlying reason for their values. For this prompt, explore further the inextricable links between religion and values. If you identify with a certain religion, share your thoughts on the values your sector subscribes to. You can also tread the more controversial path on the conflicts of religious values with socially accepted beliefs or practices, such as abortion. 

Dive deeper into the ten universal values that social psychologist Shalom Schwartz came up with: power, achievement, hedonism, stimulation, self-direction, universalism, benevolence, tradition, conformity, and security. Look into their connections and conflicts against each other. Then, pick your favorite value and explain how you relate to it the most. Also, find if value conflicts within you, as theorized by Schwartz.

Make sure to check out our round-up of the best essay checkers . If you want to use the latest grammar software, read our guide on using an AI grammar checker .

The Researching of Value of Life Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Life values are what people consider necessary in life. These are their principles, guidelines, and beliefs. Someone may have material values as a priority: prosperity, wealth, and a stable financial situation. And someone chooses spiritual values: love, honesty, and kindness. But whatever a person prefers, his relationships with others, the realization of the right to select, and the adoption of important decisions depend on it. For me, following established life values makes a personality unique and precious. Thus, the value of life is in following the personal ideal and enjoying every moment regardless of whether it is a mistake or a success.

Life is precious because it has an endpoint. Therefore, the value is in its every second and every moment. Enjoying each step of my life becomes possible thanks to my well-established values. For me, those are integrity, love, and constant development. Every action disregarding its failure or success brings precious experience. Loving mistakes and failures is one of the essential values that make life magnificent. Such an approach allows us to focus on constant development. Sometimes, life forces us to make difficult decisions. In such moments, we only sometimes manage to make the right choice. However, erroneous actions push people to think and look for a way out of difficult situations, which is a suitable development method. Love is vital in all the manifestations of life. Therefore, even mistakes and painful moments deserve love. Integrity allows showing respect for the emotions and lives of other people. This can also be considered an aspect of love that helps to be honest and accepting.

Therefore, following the above-mentioned ideal makes life valuable for me. The established moral considerations make us choose the focus in life and impede love in every sphere of life. The opportunity to live in accordance with principles, beliefs, guidelines, rules, and feelings brings joy. The meaning of a person’s life is linked to his goals, which, in turn, are correlated with values. Values objects, to me, are orienteers on the path of life. Human life’s central values help a person choose the vector of life movement.

• Social Disorganization Theories: Park & Burgess vs. Shaw & McKay
• Globalization: Metaphysical Perspective of the Western Industrialized World
• Reflective Entry: “Push” by Sapphire
• The Film "Precious": Claireece Precious Jones' Case
• To Push or Not To Push
• Intervention Theories in Sociological Context
• How Sociological Imagination Explains Obesity
• Theories of Spirituality in Social Work
• Reflection: Is Culture a Source of Conflict?
• Sociology’s Role in Understanding the Modern World
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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What Matters Most to You and Why: Uncovering Your Core Values in Essays

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on April 6, 2024

Categories Creativity , Education

Exploring the depths of what matters most to you isn’t just a reflective exercise; it’s a cornerstone of authenticity and self-awareness. You might often find yourself caught up in the daily rush, seldom pausing to consider this reflective question.

Yet, understanding what drives you and gives your life meaning is essential. Whether it informs your choices in life, shapes your goals, or steers your relationships—pinpointing these core values is a journey worth taking.

As you peel back the layers of your ambitions and fears, you reveal your personal narrative —a story only you can tell. This isn’t just about reaching a moment of epiphany but rather acknowledging the rich tapestry of experiences that defines you.

Self-awareness is a powerful tool. It allows you to navigate life with more intention and clarity. When you articulate what matters most to you, you’re not just mapping your internal motivations but also setting the groundwork for a life that resonates with purpose. It’s about honoring your individuality and the unique impact you aspire to make.

Defining Your Core Values

Your core values are the guiding principles that dictate your behavior and actions. They shape your personal and professional life, influencing your choices and interactions with the world.

Influence of Family and Friends

Family and Friends contribute significantly to shaping your values. The morals and principles you’ve observed and absorbed from your family from an early age form a foundation for your values. For instance, if honesty and integrity were highly regarded in your household, they likely feature prominently in your value system.

Similarly, your friends can impact your values through their perspectives and actions, further defining what matters most to you.

Professional Experiences and Career Aspirations

Your career aspirations and experiences in the workplace play a critical role in shaping your values. The desire for achievement and professional growth may lead you to prioritize values such as diligence and innovation.

Reflection on how to find, define, and use your values professionally can help align your career trajectory with your personal value system, ensuring that what you do resonates with who you are.

Academic and Extracurricular Passions

Lastly, your academic interests and extracurricular activities are a playground for expressing your values. Whether you value creativity, which could be reflected in pursuing arts and literature, or if you prize knowledge and are drawn to research and science, your academic life enhances and reflects your values.

Similarly, hobbies and passions complement your academic pursuits, giving a fuller picture of what matters to you – be it community service, sports, or any other field that allows you to express your intrinsic values.

Narrating Your Journey

In narrating your journey , you’re not just recounting events but reflecting on the turning points that have shaped who you are. Your narrative will encapsulate your struggles, passions, and the wisdom gained through life experiences.

Significant Life Moments

Think back to the milestone events in your life. Maybe it was the joyous day you graduated from college, illustrating your passion for education. These moments are vital chapters in your story that highlight your evolving character and the values that drive you.

Overcoming Challenges

Challenges are inevitable, but your resilience in the face of obstacles showcases your growth . Whether it was a professional setback or a personal loss, how you rose from these times speaks volumes about your strength and commitment to personal growth .

Moments of Personal Growth

These are the times when you learn the most about yourself. Perhaps it was a tough decision that taught you the weight of regrets and the importance of making choices aligned with your values. Reflect on these experiences as pivotal points in your story where you saw significant personal growth.

Articulating Your Purpose

Discovering and articulating your purpose involves deeply exploring your passions and dreams to establish a clear vision for your future that resonates with your desire to make a positive impact.

Envisioning Your Future

Think about where you want to be. Sketch out a roadmap for your life that’s guided by your deepest aspirations. Instead of vague wishes, identify specific goals that align with your passions. For example, if you dream of becoming an educator, outline the steps to get you into the classroom, the educational philosophy you want to embody, and how you aspire to influence your students’ lives.

Making a Positive Impact

Identify the mark you wish to leave on the world. Reflect on areas where you’re driven to make a change—be it in your community, workplace, or a broader scale. This might mean volunteering for causes you’re passionate about or pursuing a career that enables you to address issues close to your heart.

Documentation of previous experiences with positive impact can fuel your commitment and give a clearer picture of the path forward.

Essays on What Matters Most to You

Structuring Your Essay

When you sit down to convey what matters most to you and why, structuring your essay can be as critical as the content itself. Your goal is to create a narrative that answers the essay question and captivates the reader with clear intention.

Employing a Clear Narrative

Start your essay with a compelling hook to draw your reader into your world. A personal anecdote can be a window into what drives you as a foundation for the narrative you intend to weave through your essay.

The body of your narrative should be a journey that methodically reveals layers of your character and values, culminating in a climax that resonates with the essence of the prompt.

• If leadership is central to your story, begin with a moment that epitomizes your leadership qualities.
• Should you focus on a personal transformation, choose an instance that best illustrates that pivotal change.

Maintaining Clarity of Purpose

The soul of your essay lies in its purpose. Consistently ask yourself, “Does this sentence serve my central theme?” Maintain a laser focus on answering the ‘why’ component of the essay prompt. Each paragraph should advance your narrative and underscore your central message, leading to a reflective and insightful conclusion that underscores your central thesis.

Quick Tips:

• Bold key sentences that directly address the question to ensure they stand out.
• Use italics for emphasis, particularly when reflecting on the significance of your experiences or beliefs.

Showcasing Authenticity

When it comes down to what matters most, being true to who you are and confidently sharing your journey can set you apart. Showcasing authenticity involves embracing and expressing your unique qualities and experiences.

Being Genuinely You

Your authenticity is your distinct fingerprint in a world teeming with duplication. To embrace your true self , consider these points:

• Values : Your core beliefs guide you. Recognize them, stand by them, and let them be known.
• Personality : Celebrate your quirks. They make you, you .

Likewise, understanding your weaknesses is just as crucial as knowing your strengths. This level of self-awareness breeds a deep-seated authenticity.

Sharing Your Unique Story

Each of us has a tale that’s uniquely ours. How you share that story can make an enduring impression. Keep these storytelling elements in mind:

• Context : Provide the background that shapes your narrative. This gives your story a foundation.
• Authentic Moments : Details about turning points or lessons learned showcase growth and character.

Remember, your authentic story isn’t just what you’ve done but also why you’ve done it — the motives and passions driving your actions. Being authentic means that you’re not just sharing a narrative but also the diverse emotions and thoughts that come with it.

Reflecting on the Influence of Relationships

In this journey of life, your relationships profoundly shape your emotions, experiences, and the paths you choose. Here’s how:

Relating Through Emotion and Experiences

You navigate life’s highs and lows through a complex web of emotional connections with others. Imagine the shared laughter over a meal that turns strangers into friends or the silent empathy from a loved one during tough times.

These interactions aren’t just fleeting moments; they are the threads that weave the fabric of your life. For instance, couples often find self-reflection critical for healthy relationships, suggesting that how you perceive and adjust in relationship contexts is vital to your personal growth.

• Emotional Support: Your bonds can offer comfort and a safety net, enhancing your life satisfaction.
• Shared Experiences: The joint adventures you embark on enrich your narrative and personal development.

Navigating the Admissions Process

When applying to a college or MBA program, it’s vital to understand the inner workings of the admissions process. This knowledge can give you a competitive edge and align your application with what admissions committees seek.

Understanding What Admissions Committees Look For

Admissions committees select candidates who showcase academic prowess and potential for future success. There are specific attributes that matter:

• Academic Achievement : A solid academic record with competitive grades and test scores is crucial.
• Professional Experience: Relevant work experience can set you apart for MBA admissions .
• Personal Essays : Your essays should reflect clarity of thought, leadership qualities, and long-term goals.
• Letters of Recommendation : Strong endorsements from professionals or academics who have witnessed your capabilities intimately.
• Extracurricular Activities : Engagement outside the classroom signifies a well-rounded applicant.

Aligning your application with these focal points can significantly impact the impressions you leave on the admissions committee.

Crafting Your Essay

It’s important that you inject your personality into your writing while maintaining the right balance of professionalism. You want the essay to truly reflect who you are.

Writing with Wit and Humor

Wit can be a sharp tool in your essay-writing arsenal, allowing you to express your thoughts engagingly and memorably. However, use humor with caution; it should feel natural, not forced. Your essays will stand out if you can make the admissions committee chuckle without veering off-topic or sacrificing your essay’s core message.

Balancing Professionalism with Personality

You’re not just a professional but a person with unique traits and experiences. Infuse your personality into your essay, but do so professionally. This means avoiding overly casual language and ensuring your anecdotes and reflections are relevant to the essay’s prompt. Being professional doesn’t mean being devoid of personality; it means presenting yourself as a well-rounded candidate.

Managing Essay Length and Details

Your essays should be concise yet detailed. Aim for a sharp focus rather than a sprawling narrative. When discussing what matters most, every word should serve a purpose.

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30 personal values examples & how to live by yours

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What are personal values and why do they matter?

30 personal value examples, 6 questions to define your personal values, how to live by your personal values, using personal values examples to influence your future.

Personal values or core values are individual concepts that support your vision for your future. Understanding your personal values can help you create a life where you thrive. 

If you’re feeling lost and need some direction, living by your personal values can aid you in turning things around. Whether you’re building connections or deciding where to live, looking at your core values can guide you. 

Recognizing your personal values requires contemplation and self-reflection, but it’s worth it. So, how do you identify and make sense of these principles? Using personal values examples is a good way to spark some ideas. 

Personal values are the abstract ideals you hold near and dear. These values can heavily impact your relationships and career choices. They can also influence how you spend money. Many times, your values guide big life decisions. 

Core values also serve as guiding principles essential for personal development . They define the person you want to become and help you stay true to yourself. Personal values even impact how you speak and how well you communicate. 

When trying to understand core values, remember there is a difference between beliefs and values . Beliefs are things you believe to be true about the world. Values are the principles you view as important to live by and see as having worth. 

A belief can be a core value, but values are not necessarily core beliefs . For example, Christianity can be both a belief and a value. However, courage is a value, not a belief. It’s a trait rather than an ideology. 

Core values matter because they reflect your priorities. They help you see where you might want to spend more of your time, money, and energy. Your core values can also help you navigate compatibility with others and communicate what’s important to you. 

When do personal values matter?

Personal values can matter significantly in interpersonal relationships . A 2023 study by the University of Colorado found that opposites don’t actually attract in human partners . The study suggests that, instead, you are more likely attracted to those similar to you. You probably tend to build connections with people who have shared personal values. 

Values in a relationship matter tremendously, both in friendships and romantic situations. The more time you spend with someone, the more important it is to have similar personal values. It’s far easier to tolerate differences with someone you see once a week versus someone you live with. 

In addition to being important in your personal life, company core values are also important in your professional life. Opposing ideals can cause coworker or team conflict . A difference in personal values is fine if you make an effort to communicate. Using conflict resolution skills with your friend, partner, or coworker can help you find common ground.  

What is a personal values system?

Your personal values system is the cumulation of all your personal values. It shapes how you interact with the world around you. When faced with difficult conversations at work or challenging group projects, these are the values you lean into. Transparency in the workplace and self-discipline are examples of core values that may be components of your personal values system. 

How do personal values form?

Personal values are formed by a combination of your upbringing and life experiences. A 2022 study in Personality and Individual Differences found children’s values in early childhood are observable in studies as early as ages 5 to 7 . The company you keep and the choices you make shape who you become. Also, there is a significant parent-child similarity in values , meaning children often adopt value systems from their parents. However, family members can still have differing values. 

Community and cultures across the world can determine how your values form. A 2019 study by Frontiers in Psychology regarding everyday creativity and personal values observed a connection between values and socio-demographic variables . Examples of cultural values include family, independence, and friendliness. For instance, the Japanese parenting style is more permissive . As a result, toddlers are very autonomous and are trusted to run small errands. 

It’s OK if your mind goes blank when you first try to write down your personal values. Coming up with ideas may be easier after considering some examples. 

You can take inspiration from a list of personal values examples as you brainstorm ideas. These examples can also help you see how core values can define your behavior or influence your decisions. 

Dig deep and look for values that resonate with you. Here’s a list of values to give you some ideas:

1. Altruism

Altruism is selflessness for the greater good of society. When you help another human being, you’re committing an act of altruism.  

2. Dependability

If you’re dependable, you’re a person that others can rely on. Valuing dependability means you enjoy that trait in others or exhibit it yourself. 

3. Integrity

Having integrity in the workplace and at home means you do the right thing, even if no one is watching. Telling the truth comes naturally, and you likely don’t talk behind others’ backs. 

4. Generosity

Being generous doesn’t always have to be about money. You can be generous with your time, kindness, or anything else.  

Exhibiting courage involves knowing something scares you but doing it anyway. Because we all have different fears and weaknesses, courage looks different in everyone. 

6. Gratitude 

Gratitude is the act of appreciating what you have. One way to practice gratitude is by writing down what you’re grateful for each day. 

7. Well-being

Well-being is being happy and healthy. When you experience long-term distress, your well-being suffers. That’s why it’s important to look after yourself. 

8. Education

If you value education or learning, you love the pursuit of knowledge. The beautiful thing about life is that there’s always something new to learn. 

9. Creativity

Using your imagination for work is a sign of creativity. Whether you’re writing a novel or making crafts, creativity is an expressive part of human nature.

Family values are important to many. Spending quality time with family is a great way to show them you care. Even if you didn’t come from a close family, you may want to imagine taking care of your own one day. 

11. Self-respect

Self-respect is caring about yourself and not tolerating disrespect. Sometimes this means setting boundaries , even when doing so is difficult.  

12. Adaptability

Adaptability skills involve the ability to adjust to changes or difficult feelings. If you have adaptability skills, you don’t let challenging circumstances stop you. Instead, you go with the flow and recognize you are capable of adjusting. 

13. Self-improvement

If you’re constantly looking for ways to better yourself , you value self-improvement. Hard work and goal-setting are likely big parts of your life. 

14. Uniqueness

Valuing uniqueness means you cherish your individuality. You don’t mind being different and likely love the idea of going against the grain. 

15. Assertiveness

Assertiveness is the act of communicating in a confident, bold manner. If you stand up for yourself, you are being assertive. Assertive versus aggressive communication styles are different. Assertiveness is one of many communication styles. 

16. Giving support

Everyone needs support when they’re going through a difficult phase of life. If you value giving support, you’re there to lend a listening ear. 

17. Sustainability

Do you recycle and care about the environment? If so, sustainability is likely a value of yours. You care about the state of the world and its inhabitants. 

18. Open-mindedness

Open-mindedness means you’re quite open to new perspectives. You probably like meeting new people or learning about other cultures. 

19. Personal  growth

Personal growth involves trying to be better than you were before. This growth can be related to emotions, health, or anything else. 

20. Flexibility

You demonstrate cognitive flexibility by switching from one way of thinking to another. With flexibility, you can handle last-minute projects that come your way. 

21. Frugality

Being frugal involves spending money carefully and being thrifty. Frugality isn’t something everyone will understand, and that’s OK. If you value frugality, you likely know how to budget . 

22. Independence

Valuing independence means you love being self-sufficient. While it’s no big deal to ask for help or company, you prefer doing things on your own. 

23. Self-compassion

Self-compassion is useful when doing inner child work . Rather than criticize yourself, you realize that you’re doing your best.

24. Honesty

While most of us appreciate ethical values such as honesty in others, we don’t always exhibit them ourselves. Being honest requires bravery, and it should be done with empathy and tact. 

25. Accountability

Accountability means taking ownership of your current situation. This may involve admitting to and learning from your mistakes . It may also involve taking responsibility for your goals. 

26. Authenticity

Being your true self despite judgment is the ultimate sign of embracing your authentic self . When you value authenticity, you don’t pretend to be something you’re not. You’ve reached an admirable level of self-acceptance . 

27. Wellness

Caring about your wellness and health goals will benefit you in the long run. Sticking to your exercise routine and a healthy diet promotes longevity. 

28. Loyalty

Everyone appreciates loyalty, whether employee loyalty or that of a friend or partner. If you’re loyal, you support others through thick and thin. 

29. Community

The importance of community can’t be overstated. Feeling like you belong to a group is beneficial for mental well-being. If you don’t feel a sense of community, you can create one of your own. You can do this by starting a club or friend group. 

30. Self-reflection

If self-reflection is part of your core values list, you appreciate introspection. To you, deep thinking and self-awareness are desirable traits. You may respect this in others or appreciate it in yourself. 

Answering certain questions can help you define values in your own life. Try the following exercises to find out what matters to you. Each of your answers can help inspire you to add to your list of values. 

1. What are the most meaningful moments in your life?

Think about the most important moments in your life and what made them meaningful. Perhaps your most meaningful moment was when your purpose in life was clear. Maybe this was your wedding day or the day you graduated med school. Understanding meaningful moments can help you define your core values. 

2. What are the moments where you felt least satisfied?

Thinking about moments where you didn’t feel satisfied can help you determine what you don’t value. Such memories can give you ideas of what should be added to your core values list. For instance, do you remember feeling unsatisfied by a surprise party? If so, predictability could be a great addition to your list. 

3. Who inspires you?

By thinking about who inspires you, you can recognize the positive personality traits you value in others. Reflect on what you like about those you admire and respect. It’s possible you share common core values. 

4. What makes you angry?

Things that oppose your values bring out strong feelings. When defining your true values, think about what angers you. If you recall a moment you were lied to as upsetting, you likely value honesty. This exercise can help you add to your core values list. 

5. What is your ideal environment?

Your ideal environment can say a lot about your core values. Imagine a place and point in time where you felt completely at ease. If you’re satisfied in a tranquil environment with sunlight in the morning , you might value peace. If you feel best when out in the forest, time in nature may be one of your core values. 

6. What are you most proud of?

Is there a personality trait that you’re especially proud of? Many of your common core values are traits you already exhibit. Perhaps you’re proud when someone compliments your creativity or hard work. Or maybe you take pride in your job or ability to make friends at work . This can help you figure out your values and priorities in life. 

Defining your values can ultimately steer you in the right direction. When your behavior aligns with your values, you’re living authentically. An authentic and aligned life can make you feel proud. 

Consider which values might conflict

Some items on your core values list may be at odds with each other, which can lead to internal conflict . For example, you might value both creativity and stability. This type of conflict is a common struggle many face when choosing a career path . Ultimately, only you can make the right choices for yourself. 

Use your values to set goals

Create a life you’re proud of by using your core values list to set goals. Reminding yourself what you value most can help motivate you to make an action plan to achieve your goals . 

Strengthen your values with good habits

You can use certain values as inspiration to practice healthy habits . If you value creativity, make it a mission to complete a project idea every week. Or if you want to be more positive, make it a point to start every morning with positive affirmations . Changing your behaviors to more accurately reflect your values can lead to fulfillment.

Practice inner work

Inner Work ® is the collective of internal practices you engage in. Practicing Inner Work is crucial for self-improvement. This might revolve around examining your feelings, behaviors, or any other area of personal development. When you ask yourself what you want in life and do the work to change, your personal values can shine through.  

Hopefully, the personal values examples listed have inspired you to think of your own values. Identifying your values can clarify any changes you need to make. Making these changes can help you realize your true self and be content with life . 

Self-discovery and transformation are much easier with an expert to guide you. A coach can help you discover your values or integrate them into your life. Get started with personal coaching sessions today to start making value-driven changes in your life.

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Mikayla Balk

Mikayla Balk is a content writer focusing on emotional wellness and mental health. She’s previously written for True. Women’s Health and Behavioral Health of New York. Her passions include mental health advocacy, travel, animals, and nature photography. Mikayla holds a B.A. in Writing and Philosophy from Grand Valley State University.

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Essay on Values for Students and Children

500+ words essay on values.

Importance of Values

For an individual, values are most important. An individual with good values is loved by everyone around as he is compassionate about others and also he behaves ethically.

Values Help in Decision Making

A person is able to judge what is right and what is wrong based on the values he imbibes. In life at various steps, it makes the decision-making process easier. A person with good values is always likely to make better decisions than others.

Values Can Give Direction to Our Life

In life, Values give us clear goals. They always tell us how we should behave and act in different situations and give the right direction to our life. In life, a person with good values can take better charge.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Values Can Build Character

If a person wants a strong character, then he has to possesses good values such as honesty , loyalty, reliability, efficiency, consistency, compassion, determination, and courage. Values always help in building our character.

Values Can Help in Building a Society

If u want a better society then people need to bear good values. Values play an important role in society. They only need to do their hard work, with compassion, honesty, and other values. Such people will help in the growth of society and make it a much better place to live.

Characteristics of Values

Values are always based on various things. While the basic values remain the same across cultures and are intact since centuries some values may vary. Values may be specific to a society or age. In the past, it was considered that women with good moral values must stay at home and not voice their opinion on anything but however, this has changed over time. Our culture and society determine the values to a large extent. We imbibe values during our childhood years and they remain with us throughout our life.

Family always plays the most important role in rendering values to us. Decisions in life are largely based on the values we possess. Values are permanent and seldom change. A person is always known by the values he possesses. The values of a person always reflect on his attitude and overall personality.

The Decline of Values in the Modern Times

While values are of great importance and we are all aware of the same unfortunately people these days are so engrossed in making money and building a good lifestyle that they often overlook the importance of values. At the age when children must be taught good values, they are taught to fight and survive in this competitive world. Their academics and performance in other activities are given importance over their values.

Parents , as well as teachers, teach them how to take on each other and win by any means instead of inculcating good sportsman spirit in them and teaching them values such as integrity, compassion, and patience. Children always look up to their elders as their role models and it is unfortunate that elders these days have a lack of values. Therefore the children learn the same.

In order to help him grow into a responsible and wise human being, it is important for people to realize that values must be given topmost priority in a child’s life because children are the future of the society. There can be nothing better in a society where a majority of people have good values and they follow the ethical norms.

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Life Health > Annuities

More Life and Annuity Products Offer Commodity Indexes

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Thank you for sharing, what you need to know.

• Higher rates may make bond indexes less appealing.
• International indexes are hot.
• Inflation and climate change are getting direct and indirect commodity exposure some attention.

The focus on climate and the return of inflation have increased some clients’ interest in gold, oil, grain and other commodities.

That enthusiasm is starting to affect the indexes embedded in fixed indexed annuities and registered index-linked annuities, according to Laurence Black, founder of The Index Standard investment index tracking service.

“We have seen an increase in indices used in the annuity space that are linked to commodities,” Black said in an email.

In addition to appealing to clients who want a hedge against inflation, adding commodity indexes may also appeal to clients who want extra asset diversification, Black said.

What it means:  Retail financial professionals who got into the game after 2000 may have only a hazy understanding of what commodities are and how commodity indexes work.

But the baby boomers who are retiring now came of age when inflation, and pork belly futures, were big news. Some retiring boomers may like the idea of having exposure to commodities in their traditional variable annuity value allocations or indexed annuity allocation option menus.

Index performance:  The Index Standard analysts are quick to point out that they are giving their best guesses of what returns might be but that no one knows what the future holds.

Traditionally, the S&P 500 and similar indexes have dominated indexed annuity allocation option menus.

Clients have made some use of bond indexes, but higher interest rates have pushed bond index returns down to about 4% to 5% per year.

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At this point, the analysts estimate, commodity indexes could produce comparable annual returns, averaging 3% per year on gold indexes and about 5.5% per year on diversified commodity indexes.

The firm’s analysts also see increased interest in indexes with exposure to companies based outside the United States.

The indexes:  The Index Standard did not have hard numbers on commodity index use in indexed products, and one challenge may be defining what a commodity index is.

Some indexed life and annuity products might offer direct exposure to allocation options linked to one type of commodity, such as gold, or to a diversified commodity index.

In other cases, allocation option menus might provide some exposure to commodities through index options designed to be defensive, buffer value against climate change or achieve other goals.

F&G, for example, has created a Hindsight 20/20 index that incorporates Bank of America indexes that provide exposure to gold.

Several annuities offer exposure to an SG Smart Climate Index . The climate exposure index reflects the effects of climate change on commodity prices.g

The S&P 500 index also provides indirect exposure to commodity market shifts, through the effects of commodity prices on big public companies’ performance.

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Where Tim Walz Stands on the Issues

As governor of Minnesota, he has enacted policies to secure abortion protections, provide free meals for schoolchildren, allow recreational marijuana and set renewable energy goals.

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By Maggie Astor

• Aug. 6, 2024

Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, the newly announced running mate to Vice President Kamala Harris, has worked with his state’s Democratic-controlled Legislature to enact an ambitious agenda of liberal policies: free college tuition for low-income students, free meals for schoolchildren, legal recreational marijuana and protections for transgender people.

“You don’t win elections to bank political capital,” Mr. Walz wrote last year about his approach to governing. “You win elections to burn political capital and improve lives.”

Republicans have slammed these policies as big-government liberalism and accused Mr. Walz of taking a hard left turn since he represented a politically divided district in Congress years ago.

Here is an overview of where Mr. Walz stands on some key issues.

Mr. Walz signed a bill last year that guaranteed Minnesotans a “fundamental right to make autonomous decisions” about reproductive health care on issues such as abortion, contraception and fertility treatments.

Abortion was already protected by a Minnesota Supreme Court decision, but the new law guarded against a future court reversing that precedent as the U.S. Supreme Court did with Roe v. Wade, and Mr. Walz said this year that he was also open to an amendment to the state’s Constitution that would codify abortion rights.

Another bill he signed legally shields patients, and their medical providers, if they receive an abortion in Minnesota after traveling from a state where abortion is banned.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Values — Personal Values My Life Is Built Upon

Personal Values My Life is Built Upon

• Categories: Personal Growth and Development Values

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Published: Jan 28, 2021

Words: 1267 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read

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Authenticity, treating everyone with respect and dignity.

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