Be You

For decades, psychologists, and researchers have studied core values, what Dr. Senka Holzer’s calls “psychological DNA.” These core values are the things that light people up, gives them pure joy—they are what matters most. When one’s life is aligned with their core values, they are at their best. Yet despite what popular psychology says, understanding one’s core values isn’t enough to guarantee fulfillment. Senka’s research reveals something new: that people operate with not one, but two different sets of values. In addition to core values, everyone absorbs values from outside sources—family, friends, the media, their generation, and their culture. Senka calls these acquired values, and most people aren’t even aware of them. Here’s why acquired values are important: it’s our awareness of our acquired values that determines our ultimate fulfillment. Without this knowledge, people may spend precious time and energy attempting to align themselves with values that are not even their