Personal Values Shield

Discovering what matters most through creative reflection

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Personal Values Shield

Discovering what matters most through creative reflection

Personal Values Shield

Discovering what matters most through creative reflection

This activity uses the metaphor of a personal shield to help individuals identify and articulate their core values, strengths, and sources of meaning. Values clarification is a central component of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and has been shown to increase psychological flexibility, motivation, and life satisfaction (Lundgren et al., 2012; Hayes et al., 2022). By visually representing what matters most, clients create a tangible reminder they can return to during difficult moments.

How to Create Your Personal Values Shield

Draw a large shield shape on a blank piece of paper, or use a provided template
Divide the shield into four to six sections using lines
Assign each section a prompt from the list below
Use words, drawings, symbols, or images from magazines to fill each section
Add a personal motto or guiding phrase along the bottom of the shield
Share your completed shield with a trusted person and explain what each section means to you

Shield Section Prompts

My Core Strengths: What qualities or abilities do you rely on most? Think about what others come to you for or what helps you persevere through challenges.Example: You might draw a steady hand or a bridge to represent your ability to stay calm under pressure and connect people during conflict.

What I Value Most: Identify the principles that guide your decisions. These might include honesty, creativity, family, justice, learning, or compassion.Example: Someone who values honesty and learning might write those words in bold letters and surround them with images of books and open hands.

People Who Support Me: Who are the people in your life that encourage you, hold you accountable, or make you feel safe? Include family, friends, mentors, or community members.Example: You might include your grandmother, a college roommate, and a therapist, each represented by a small symbol that reminds you of them.

A Challenge I Have Overcome: Reflect on a difficult experience that taught you something important about yourself. What did you learn, and how did it shape who you are today?Example: Someone might depict a mountain to represent overcoming a period of depression and discovering their own resilience in the process.

What Brings Me Joy: Identify activities, places, or experiences that consistently bring you happiness or a sense of fulfillment.Example: You might draw a trail through the woods to represent hiking, or musical notes to represent playing guitar with friends.

My Future Vision: Imagine your life five years from now, living in alignment with your values. What does that life look like?Example: Someone might sketch a small house with a garden to represent their goal of building a stable, peaceful home life.

Reflection Questions

Which section was easiest to fill in? Which was hardest? What might that tell you?
Are there values on your shield that you feel you are not currently living by? What small step could bring you closer?
How might you use this shield as a reference point when making difficult decisions?
What would you want someone to understand about you just from looking at your shield?