My top five core values are accountability, compassion, optimism, gratitude, and honesty. When advocating for social justice, these core values are able to empower people to make a meaningful difference in promoting equality for marginalized voices. Firstly, I value accountability because it’s all about taking responsibility for your actions and how they impact others around you. If I ever mess something up, I’m going to own up to my mistakes and grow from it. That’s what being a human being means– to learn from your mistakes and improve. If someone never takes accountability for something, then are they truly human?
Secondly, I value compassion because that’s another aspect of what makes someone a human being. The ability to put yourself in someone else’s perspective is so incredibly important. So many problems and conflicts in our current world are because of the lack of compassion people have for one another. By showing compassion, we can solve so many injustices and create a better society. It’s about humanity and supporting each other despite our differences. Even though I don’t completely agree, that is why some people believe that those who are incapable of expressing compassion are not considered human beings. Because being human means showing empathy and understanding towards others.
Optimism, while not as important, is a personal value of mine because it helps me to see the bright side of things. When we maintain a positive outlook, even when things get hard, we’re more motivated to work towards creating a better future. All my life, I’ve struggled with insecurities, self doubt, and had an overall pessimistic attitude towards everything. I saw happiness and temporary, since I was so used to feeling numb or sad. I’m just recently trying to focus more on solutions rather than dwelling on problems. By maintaining a positive mindset, I’m able to keep going forward, no matter what obstacle may be in my path. If I’m constantly around someone who has always maintains a negative mindset, that might really set me back. So, I try to fill my life with positivity and things that bring me joy.
Gratitude is another core value of mine. It’s also not as important as the others, but it’s something I hold close to me. Everyday, I try to remind myself to be grateful for the things in my life, no matter how small. I love to see the beauty in the simplest of things. You could show me the ugliest piece of scenery in the world, and I would somehow still try to see the beauty of it somewhere. I think as someone who has struggled with depression for most of my life, it’s so easy to get caught up in your emotions and just forget the great things you have around you. There is always something to be grateful for. Whether it’s to have a loving family or being grateful that you can listen to a song you like a lot. It’s important to stop and just show appreciation for the things you may have. There are billions of people around the world who don’t have the luxuries that I do, so I always make sure that I never take anything for granted.
Finally, honesty. This is a simple value, but one that many people have in common. Honesty is just so crucial. It’s about telling the truth and being real to others and yourself. Why would you want to be around someone who is untrustworthy and constantly lying? How could you trust them to do anything? Without honesty, there is no foundation of a relationship. When you are honest with someone, it means you respect them. It’s simple, but it makes a big enough difference in how we are able to communicate with each other. Honesty promotes fairness and equality. When we are honest with the challenges in our communities, we can work efficiently to address them.
