Mindfulness, Values, and Mental Health: A New Perspective

Understanding the Overload of Our Minds

A couple of years ago, I wrote an article reflecting on a seminar we conducted about Mindfulness, Values, and Mental Health. It was a thought-provoking seminar aimed at delivering a fresh perspective, often overlooked in discussions about mindfulness.

Our minds are frequently overloaded with information, thoughts, feelings, to-do lists, reflections, and even snippets of music or dialogue from TV shows. This creates a chaotic jumble in our heads. Mindfulness offers a vital way to alleviate this overload. It helps us focus on the present moment, allowing us to notice our feelings and thoughts instead of being distracted by the 'chatter' that interrupts and distorts our thinking. Mindfulness techniques often combine physiological and psychological practices that quieten the overload we all experience from time to time, centering us in the moment. Techniques such as meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, and creative pursuits like singing and drawing are all effective methods for cultivating mindfulness.

The Temporary Relief of Mindfulness Techniques

These techniques are beneficial and positive, and they are essential to pursue and make time for. However, once we finish a meditation session, yoga class, or drawing activity, our brains often revert to their overloaded state. Mindfulness can feel like a constant search for calm moments in a sea of turmoil and disquiet.

But what if we considered a different perspective? Instead of focusing solely on these small acts that temporarily ease our disquiet, we could look for the root causes of that disquiet. What if mindfulness isn't just about managing the symptoms of mental overload but about addressing its underlying issues?

The Role of Values Alignment in Mindfulness

In our seminar, we explored the concept that true mindfulness begins with "values alignment." This occurs when our actions, words, and decisions reflect our core values. When our values align with our actions, we experience less internal conflict and more psychological coherence. This isn't merely philosophical; it's deeply practical. Being true to ourselves reduces the mental strain caused by cognitive dissonance—the discomfort we feel when our behavior contradicts our beliefs.

Research supports this notion. Studies indicate that living in congruence with our personal values strongly predicts psychological well-being and resilience. When we live authentically, we experience less internal conflict and greater mental clarity. Values alignment is not just a nice-to-have; it is a psychological necessity. When our behavior clashes with our values, we deplete our mental energy, leading to anxiety and stress. Thus, mindfulness becomes not only a practice of presence but also a guide toward integrity and wholeness.

The Challenge of Achieving Values Alignment

Achieving values alignment is easier said than done. Many people are discouraged from recognizing their own values, leading to a lack of reflection in this area. In fact, many struggle to articulate what their values are. As a society, we have encouraged individuals to disconnect from the concept of values, outsourcing values-based thinking to other entities—churches, political movements, and corporations are expected to embody values in our society. Amidst the information overload and the superficial nature of leadership in a world dominated by social media, values have become increasingly lost and marginalized. We have become disconnected from the personal nature of values, treating them as external codes rather than internal compasses.

The Personal Nature of Values

Values are deeply personal. They define who we are, what we stand for, and how we navigate life. Ignoring or suppressing them, especially under pressure to conform, invites mental distress. The Harvest Clinic describes this as the “mind-values connection,” noting that misalignment between actions and beliefs can lead to anxiety, depression, and emotional exhaustion.

"Values alignment" begins with dedicating time to understand our own values. This understanding is achieved through personal reflection and exploration, alongside utilizing tools such as emotional intelligence, psychometric profiling tools, discussions with trusted colleagues and friends, and training. Similar to strategic alignment, our values alignment will never be perfect. It is a continuous journey of moving toward our values, constructing, questioning, re-evaluating, and testing throughout our lives.

The Increasing Commonality of Values Misalignment

In today’s climate, misalignment of values is increasingly common. Censorship, superficial leadership, performative virtue signaling, and ideological rigidity have created environments where individuals feel pressured to espouse values they do not believe in. This is not just frustrating; it is psychologically damaging.

There are disturbing parallels between this climate and the mental strain experienced by individuals in Cold War-era authoritarian regimes. Ethnographic studies from East Germany, the USSR, and Poland document the toll of constant self-censorship and ideological conformity. While today's pressures may be more subtle and complex, the psychological effects of stress, withdrawal, and identity confusion are strikingly similar.

The Importance of Values-Based Leadership

True leadership begins with modeling values-based authenticity, not enforcing ideological conformity. Business leaders and professionals should exercise genuine leadership and foster an environment of non-partisan and non-politicized professionalism, openness, tolerance, and genuine diversity (diversity of thought, views, opinions, and perspectives). Psychological safety depends on the freedom to question, disagree, and be authentic.

Promoting Mental Wellbeing in a Post-COVID World

Now more than ever, it is crucial to promote mental well-being. Our recent experiences during the COVID era have scarred our collective psyche and driven society apart like never before. Children have borne the brunt of this disruption. Lockdowns, isolation, and fear-based messaging have interrupted their development at critical stages. The long-term impact on their mental health is still unfolding, but early signs indicate increased anxiety, social withdrawal, and emotional dysregulation.

We must now prioritize trauma-informed approaches in education and community work. Healing will require more than academic catch-up; it will necessitate reconnection, play, and trust. Above all, it will require adults who model emotional integrity and values-based living.

Moving Beyond Surface-Level Solutions

If we are serious about promoting mental health, we must move beyond surface-level solutions. Mindfulness is not just a breathing exercise; it is a way of life. It is about living with integrity, aligning with our values, and creating spaces where others can do the same.

To tolerate difference is to promote mental well-being. To silence it is to cause harm.