Develop Your Life Philosophy, Values, and Goals

A strong, positive philosophical or religious value/belief system is the core to being psychologically stronger and happier

Develop Your Life Philosophy, Values, and Goals

Values/Goals Index

Overview and Information 
Tips 
Other Internet Links 
Course Referrals
 

INFORMATION 
Research shows that people who have clear values and goals that they pursue in their daily life tend to be more successful and happier than those who don't.  Finding meaning and goals in what one does has been shown to be a very powerful factor relating to habitual unhappiness and depression.

Research has shown that one way people successfully find meaning for their life is through their religious beliefs and activities.  People who have positive, well-developed philosophies of life also share this inner strength with others. A positive, well-developed philosophy helps people find meaning and happiness in everyday life--in their work, relationships, and almost any activity. 

Having an overarching view of life that you can fall back on even if your worst fears come true can help you overcome crises better than other people.

Think about the people you know (or know of) who have mature, positive philosophies of life versus those you know who either have negative philosophies or poorly developed ones.  Think about the differences in their motivation, happiness, and affects on other people.

TIPS
Develop clear values and goals that you really want and commit yourself to. Develop a positive, honest, well-thought-out philosophy of life that can help you deal with any fear or circumstance including poverty, illness, rejection, failure, living alone, and death.  A psychologically healthy philosophy encourages you to take good care of your body and personal resources, and it encourages you to have fun and enjoy the positive parts of life as well.

College is a great opportunity to develop your values, goals, and personal philosophy. Thinking about the bigger picture of life can be a fun and challenging experience.  Many people develop their life goals and philosophy during their college years, and find that it gets them through most of the rest of their lives.

To develop your personal philosophy take philosophy and/or religion courses and other courses that help you think about the fundamentals of life.  Read deeper books on your own. Discuss deeper issues with your friends and family. Learn from people whose views differ from or challenge your own.  Join groups or organizations that have ideas consistent with your new? philosophy or religion. Spend a lot of time thinking about them on your own. Then try to achieve personal integration by pursuing your new values and goals and living by your new ideas.  As you find some ideas don't work, keep developing them.  Walk your talk and that will lead to wisdom, integrity, and happiness.

You Can Choose To Be Happy: "Rise Above" Anxiety, Anger, and Depression (free on-line book)
Dr. Tom Stevens' book explores many ways that you can increase your abilities to find happiness. The first chapter provides an introduction to how you can begin your quest for greater happiness, more positive thinking, and greater motivation.
http://www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/my-peek.htm

Developing Your Higher Self (a cognitive system)
Develop your positive love-happiness-truth centered philosophy and part of yourself that can be the source of positive beliefs, thinking, and self-esteem.  It can be your chief executive in charge of creating inner harmony and running your life. Tom G. Stevens PhD
http://www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/h3hiself.htm

Create a Positive World by Adopting a Positive World View
Understand how your basic view of the world and yourself can affect your thinking on a daily and moment-to-moment basis.  It can have huge effects upon your emotions, motivation, and success.
http://www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/h41model.htm

Clarify Your Values and Life Goals
Use a process for deciding what is most important in your life.
http://www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/h91value.htm

Professional Presentations on Spiritual Cognitive Therapy (SCT)--ok for non-professionals
SCT is a form of cognitive therapy that focuses upon people's top life values and goals--the core of their personality.

1. Presentation at World Conference of American Counseling Association--Overheads only, but more detail.
GO TO: www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/sct-oh.htm

2. Presentation at California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists--Overheads, Notes, and AUDIO PRESENTATION.
GO TO: www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/CAMFT Spiritual Cognitive TherapyOVERHEADS/CAMFT Spiritual Cognitive TherapyOVERHEADS.htm     
OR FOR DETAILED NOTES: www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/CAMFT Spiritual Cognitive TherapyOVERHEADS/CAMFT-SpiituaCognitiveTherapyNOTES.htm

Learn the Systematic Problem Solving Model for Making Major Life Decisions
http://www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/SPS.htm

Criteria for Evaluating Psychologically Healthy Beliefs
Look at some of the criteria various experts have developed for examining psychologically healthy and unhealthy religious belief systems. Dr. Tom Stevens
http://www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/sct-oh.htm

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OTHER INTERNET LINKS 

Clarifying Life Goals and Finding Meaning In Life

***International Network On Personal Meaning.
Dr. Paul Wong, Existential and Cognitive Psychology
http://www.meaning.ca

***Guideposts, inspired by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, author of the classic, The Power of Positive Thinking which can claim distinction of being perhaps the first influential self-help books on positive thinking.
http://www.guideposts.org/
 

Values Clarification Sites:

Wisdom Thinkers Search Engine

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Websites for the Spiritually Inclined

CSULB=>
Look at some of the criteria various experts have developed for examining psychologically healthy and unhealthy religious belief systems.
http://www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/sct-oh.htm

BELIEFNET 
Extensive site for airing of spiritually-related ideas from many points of view.  Highly rated by Access Magazine. Many experts contribute.
http://www.beliefnet.com

***Christian Stories to help provide inspiration and positive thinking.
http://www.christianstories.com/

Christian Search Engine
www.his-net.com  

spiritweb.org

Michael Nielsen, Ph.D. Department of Psychology Georgia Southern University's Psychology of Religion page
www.psywww.com/psyrelig/  

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YOGA and EASTERN RELIGIONS

DO-NOT-ZZZ.COM 
Entertaining introduction to Buddhism.
http://www.do-not-zzz.com

yogasite.com 

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Relevant Courses

Take courses especially in Philosophy and Religion (Religious Studies), however many subject areas may have courses that deal with deep value and philosophical issues that will help you develop your thinking and personal philosophy.  One of the goals of general education is to expose you to new ways of thinking in a variety of disciplines.

Self-Help and other resources on this website (and site map)