Values and Health

Values represent deeply held beliefs and show facets of identity. It’s not possible not to have them, it’s very possible not to be aware of them! They impact our health: positively, when we can live and work in alignment with our values. Negatively, when we are asked to conduct ourselves in ways we don’t value.

A friend of mine joined an organisation where people valued deceit. (He hadn’t seen this facet of the organisation during the hiring process.) Since he placed an extremely high value on integrity, it wasn’t long before he showed side effects of stress. After a few months, he couldn’t take it any more and quit. His health recovered almost overnight.

I’ll venture a prediction: neuroscience research will establish a significant correlation between values alignment in the workplace and good health, and between misalignment and poor health.