9 values that empower your wellness journey with Medihelp

Renowned author John C Maxwell once said, “Your core values are the deeply held beliefs that authentically describe your soul.” Values are a compass pointing you on a path that leads to who you want to be and what you want to achieve. They are interwoven in your being, fuel your decision-making, guide your career, and set you up to live a more fulfilled and happier life.

At Medihelp, we recognise the importance of our members’ values and how they embody who you truly are. By being your partner in health, we support you to live your values and reach for your dreams.

What are your personal power values?

Acknowledging and honouring your values will ensure you get the best out of life. Medihelp recognises and supports the following values in our members.

1. Kind
Kindness means so much more than friendliness, generosity, and being considerate. It isn’t quite the same as being nice. Kindness embodies a deeper sense of sincerity. There is an intentional quality to kind acts that is hard to fake. It often causes a ripple effect far beyond our own inner circle. Consider the profound impact of Mother Teresa’s service to the poorest in Calcutta and how her example inspired individuals around the globe.

This value has a distinct meaning to every person and everyone has their own way of showing it. Demonstrate kindness by giving compliments, showing gratitude, noticing others’ good deeds, and giving your time in service to someone else.

2. Fun
Fun is an often underrated value that we tend to bury under routine tasks and serious responsibilities. But having fun should be taken more seriously too! Author and expert Catherine Price defines ‘true fun’ as a combination of playfulness, connection, and flow. When those three states are activated, we experience the feeling of fun. This value is vital to our well-being, as it relieves stress, enhances brain function, keeps us energised, improves our social skills, and much more.

Luckily, having fun can be as simple as drawing or colouring, walking barefoot on the beach or grass, skipping stones, singing songs, playing with our children or pets, sharing jokes, or riding a bicycle. 

3. Home
A strong sense of home is closely linked to the desire for security and safety. When your roots are firmly planted, you consider home your sanctuary: a place of comfort and familiarity that embodies warmth, love, and family. A homebody finds peace in their personal space surrounded by their nearest. Although many of us remember the hardship and isolation that came with the Covid-19 lockdown, we were also given the rare opportunity to reap the benefits of the homebody lifestyle, including enhanced productivity, reduced stress levels, and financial savings.

Cherish home a bit more by staying in instead of heading out. Read a book, potter in the garden, cook or bake, declutter your space, build puzzles, play board games, and do home workouts like yoga or dancing.

4. Creative
Creativity is often associated with artistry. Though it may require creativity to be an artist, you don’t need to be an artist to be creative. Instead, this value has to do with the ability to discover ideas, see connections, and find solutions to problems. Creativity resides in daily acts of ingenuity. It may be as mundane as cooking a fried egg in a way that seems original to someone else or making a choice without thinking about it. We all possess some measure of creativity. Alex Faickney Osborn, the father of brainstorming, considers creativity a learned skill that is “more than mere imagination. It is imagination inseparably coupled with both intent and effort”.

Reawaken your creativity by spending time in nature, meditating, engaging in physical activity, and connecting with people from all walks of life.

5. Fit
Fitness focuses on safeguarding your health and well-being. Nowadays, we are at risk of leading sedentary lives, often spending excessive hours sitting at desks, in meetings, or in front of screens. However, this is not our natural state, explains Dr Luigi Fontana, professor of medicine and nutrition. He considers staying fit and active the “wonder drug for healthy longevity”. South Africans are increasingly adopting a get-up-and-go lifestyle as a recent survey shows that 21% of the population considers themselves fitness enthusiasts. That is well above the global country average of 17%.

For most of us, fitness can be increased by committing to an exercise programme at the gym. But why not take advantage of our sunny weather by going on daily walks or bicycle rides, practising yoga or tai chi in a shaded spot outside, or playing a game of tag or soccer with the kids on the lawn?

6. Brave
Daring acts of bravery are often celebrated in society. When we think of this value, we tend to think of frontline heroes, like firefighters or soldiers, who risk their lives daily to serve and protect others. But stories of bravery can be subtle and more commonplace than one would expect. Often, you too act bravely in the face of adversity. Everyday bravery can be as small as admitting when you’re wrong, reaching out to say you’re sorry, speaking up against unfair treatment, trying something new, or asking for help.

Evidence suggests that we are as courageous as we believe ourselves to be. If you consider yourself to be brave, then you are capable of handling fear-inducing situations better than someone who believes they lack courage. Bravery requires the resilience to push through fear to perform the task at hand.

7. Healthy
Health as a value looks different for everyone. Some may consider optimal physicality or an extended lifespan free of disease to mean ‘health’. Others may see it as emotional wellness where life is enriched with contentment and balance. Our idea of health relies on our cultural views, environment, and personal priorities. It’s a deeply personal journey that embodies the essence of our being. It’s about engaging in health-promoting behaviour or healthy habits, such as maintaining a wholesome diet, exercising, getting sufficient sleep, and prioritising medical and mental health needs.

South Africans are becoming increasingly health-conscious and actively participating in current health trends. We’re staying hydrated (64% drink more water to prioritise their health), engaging in physical exercise (49% maintain a regular exercise programme), and choosing healthy foods above other options (an impressive 83% purposely shop for products that are beneficial to their health and well-being).

8. Ambitious
Ambition is the inner force that drives you to achieve your goals or realise your dreams. It propels growth and produces success. Living life at an accelerated pace fuelled by ambition requires careful balance. Our relentless will to succeed can cost us our mental wellness, and our yearning to achieve extrinsic goals, such as power and wealth, can lead to depression and anxiety. Still, throwing ambition to the wind will not cultivate inner peace. Instead, we should consider what it is we are aspiring to. What goals are you chasing?

Intrinsic motivators, such as knowledge, deeper relationships, or personal growth, can be deeply fulfilling. Channelling ambition to reach these targets can actually feed your mental health. Start by finding the right motivation to fuel healthy ambition and set manageable goals. Then, make sure the journey is just as rewarding as the destination.

9. Smart
Being smart is often reduced to academic achievement or profound intellectual ability. The word ‘genius’ originates from Latin and refers to exceptional intelligence, talent, or creative ability. Being smart encompasses much more than school performance or the results of an IQ test. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos considers intelligent people to be those who have the ability to admit when they’re wrong and change their opinions. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs valued big‑picture thinkers and credited true intelligence to the ability to be open to new ideas and knowledge.

Develop the ability to think critically, solve problems, make sound decisions, understand the world, cultivate a thirst for knowledge, and avidly learn new skills to enhance this quality.

Celebrate who you are with your value-driven partner in health

Medihelp understands that today’s consumers seek authentic connections that reflect their personal values. We are committed to being a health partner that recognises your individuality and supports your unique journey. We ensure that every step you take in your wellness journey aligns with what matters most to you, empowering you to live your best life.