How would you answer the question “What is important to me” at this period of your life? What kind of person do you want to be and what are you ready to do to get closer to this? What actions of yours make you feel meaning and satisfaction, even when it is difficult to do what is meaningful to you, but is it worth it? I invite you to search for answers to these difficult questions through the prism of values. Values ​​are freely chosen qualities of actions. Freely chosen means not generally accepted/correct/imposed by parents/culture/society/someone or something idea of ​​what to be and how to behave lead, but sincerely yours, simply because you want to. Maybe you want to be an inquisitive/brave/open person? Or those who often try new things/communicate with like-minded people/value themselves and their time? Perhaps your value is paying attention to your psychological well-being every day? In any case, everything listed here is just examples to illustrate how values ​​can be defined in different ways. Let's continue! Values ​​are what changes, creates, complements for each of us the meaning of the current day/week/month and even years of life. Something for the sake of which we are ready to withstand discomfort and anxiety, overcome excitement and fears, be with any, even painful for us, feelings and emotions, because as a result, these value-based actions make our lives richer. They make us alive. Of course, values ​​are not only about discomfort, they contain a lot of pleasant, positive and joyful things! There is simply a certain axiom: what is important to us, at the same time often worries us and causes a different range of experiences. Thus, next to love for loved ones there is concern for their well-being, especially when they are sick. But in response to anxiety, in this context, we can show our value of being caring and loving: making chicken soup, buying medicine, being tolerant of the whims of children (and adults) when they feel unwell... Values ​​help determine how we should act in a given situation in order to be in harmony with ourselves and motivate us to take certain actions. And until we begin to live in accordance with our values, until we begin to reinforce them with real actions, they will just words. A moment of self-disclosure) It is important for me to be a person who helps homeless animals. I choose how to realize this value, through what actions, depending on various internal and external factors (context). As far back as I can remember, I have always felt very sorry for homeless dogs and cats. As a child, my friends and I found a cat with five kittens in the yard and adopted them ourselves - perhaps this was one of the first actions associated with this value. A few years ago, more steps towards help appeared: they were limited to transferring small financial support to shelters, to the best of my ability, and rare attempts to feed a cat or dog I met on the street. Later, the idea came to my mind to personally visit an animal shelter, but it was scary go there and see with your own eyes cats and dogs that once suffered greatly from abuse, from starvation on the street and other terrible things. I was afraid of my own experiences - pity, feelings of injustice and tears. So, by avoiding pain, I also lost a lot of value. Three and a half years ago, I decided to take a chance and take myself to a local cat shelter. And yes, some stories were difficult and hard to the point of tears. It was also very joyful and meaningful to see that now cats and kitties are fine, they are getting help, and I myself can help - for example, by spending time next to me, playing and petting them (many of them adore people, need company and affection, and those who suffered at the hands of man - in restoring trust in people and socialization). Since then, visiting the shelter has become another meaningful and real, regular action. For me, this is very much about value, despite some accompanying!