A Values Check-In: Ending the Year With Clarity Instead of Pressure

As the year comes to a close, many people feel pulled toward resolutions, productivity checklists, or self-critique disguised as reflection. But for those of us seeking steadiness, healing, and genuine alignment, there’s a gentler doorway into year-end processing: coming home to your values. Values reflection isn’t about what you achieved; instead, it’s about what mattered, what felt true, and where you noticed yourself moving toward or away from the life you want to build.

When we shift the lens from “Did I do enough?” to “Did I live in a way that honored who I am?” something softens. Reflection becomes less about measurement and more about meaning. This is the heart of mental health in a holistic lens: recognizing that your year wasn’t defined by productivity, but by the moments when you acted in alignment with what feels most important to you in all areas of your life.

So, how can you do a values reflection to end 2025? Read on for more info from the holistic healers at Rise and Thrive Counseling! 

Identify the Values That Guided You

Start by reconnecting with your core values; not the ones you think you should have, but the ones that genuinely guide your choices and shape your inner world. Values tend to show up in your small, everyday choices. Noticing them is a way of honoring your lived experience.

Ask yourself:

• Which values felt most present this year: kindness, authenticity, stability, rest, connection, curiosity, courage?

• In what moments did you feel proud of how you showed up?

• When did your decisions feel aligned, even if they were difficult?
  

Explore the Places of Misalignment With Compassion

Misalignment isn’t failure, it’s information. It shows you where stress, burnout, fear, or life circumstances pulled you away from what mattered. Misalignment is often a sign that something external, not internal, needs to shift.

Reflect on:

• Which values were hard to access this year?

• What situations made it difficult to honor them?

• What did misalignment teach you about your needs, limits, or environment?
  

Choose the Values You Want to Prioritize in the Year Ahead

Rather than setting rigid goals, choose a small set of values you want to lean into next year. This turns growth into something flexible, compassionate, and sustainable.

Try exploring:

• What value do you want to take up more space in your life?

• How do you want to feel as you move through your days?

• What practices, boundaries, or supports would help you live more fully into these values?
  

Resources to Explore Your Personal Values

Books

• “The Happiness Trap” by Russ Harris: A values-based approach rooted in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT).

• “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brené Brown: Encourages living in alignment with courage, compassion, and connection.

• “Living Your Values” by James M. Kouzes & Barry Z. Posner: A practical guide for naming and embodying core values.
  

Workbooks & Tools

• The ACT Values Card Sort (multiple free versions online).

• VIA Character Strengths Survey (free assessment).

• Therapist Aid: Values Worksheets (free downloadable PDFs).
  

Podcasts

• The Psychology Podcast: Episodes on meaning, purpose, and identity.

• Unlocking Us with Brené Brown: Frequent discussions on values, authenticity, and wholehearted living.

• Therapy for Black Girls: Compassionate conversations on identity, alignment, and emotional well-being.
  

Apps

• ACT Companion: Exercises on living according to values.

• Balance: Personalized meditation with values-based themes.

• Intellect: Reflection prompts and guided practices for intentional living.
  

Speaking of resources: if you want more holistic help, look no further than Rise and Thrive Counseling. Our holistic counselors can help address all areas of life. Reach out today to learn more. We look forward to hearing from you!