Your Values Compass: A Different Way to Set Intentions This Year

By Mikayla Bogart, Clinical Fellow

January is often a month filled with pressure to set resolutions- new habits, big goals, and plans to change, transform, and better ourselves. But resolutions don’t tend to stick when they come from outside expectations or what we think we “should” be doing. We focus so much on what we want to do, but rarely pause to understand why we want those changes in the first place.

This year, instead of forcing new behaviors, consider building intentions from the inside out. Let your why become your inner compass, and the most effective way to access that why is through your values.

Values are the principles and qualities that matter most to us (things like connection, growth, creativity, stability, wellness, family, integrity, joy, to name a few). They act like an internal compass, helping us choose paths that feel aligned, meaningful, and true to who we want to be. When our goals are rooted in these personal values, we’re more motivated to show up not because we’re trying to “fix” ourselves, but because we’re moving toward what feels fulfilling.

Try this DBT-inspired Values Exercise to help start off your New Year intentions:

1. Identify Your Core Values

Browse a list of common values and circle the 8–10 that resonate most. Then narrow down to your top 3–5 (the ones that feel essential for living a meaningful life).

2. Rate How Present Each Value Is (1–10)

How fully is each value expressed in your current life?

For example: Creativity: 3/10, Health: 7/10, Relationships: 5/10

This creates clarity about areas wanting more attention.

3. Create Values-Aligned Commitments (DBT Skill:“Building a Life Worth Living”)

Instead of focusing on outcomes, choose 1–2 small, doable behaviors that bring each value to life: “What action could help me live this value 10% more?" For examples, if your value is connection, maybe your behavior is texting a friend weekly. If your value is growth, your behavior might be reading for 10 minutes a night or starting a new course.

4. Anticipate Obstacles & Use Wise Mind (DBT Skill: Wise Mind + Opposite Action)

When avoidance, anxiety, or perfectionism show up, pause and ask:

• “What does Wise Mind tell me is the next caring step?”

• “What would it look like to act opposite to avoidance?”

This helps us follow through even when emotions are intense.

Why It Works: When intentions reflect what truly matters, we experience more motivation, less pressure and perfectionism, greater purpose and confidence and a sense of movement toward the life we want. Your values remind you of who you are and where you’re headed even when stress arises or plans shift.

The New Year doesn’t have to be about reinventing yourself, it can be about reconnecting with yourself. Instead of chasing goals that feel overwhelming or disconnected from your reality, let your values lead the way. Small steps count. Each time you choose what aligns with your values, you build a life that feels more authentic, grounded, and uniquely yours. As you step into 2025, consider asking yourself: “What truly matters to me, and how can I honor that just a little more this year?” Your values already know the direction. This year, you simply get to follow the compass.