VALUES: WHERE ALIGNMENT BEGINS
When Your Calendar Doesn’t Reflect Your Values
A few weeks ago, I was sitting at my laptop finishing up something work-related. I had set a timer to make sure that I set a boundary, but I kept hitting snooze. I wanted to finish because finishing a project is a part of me that I feel immensely.
After about the fourth time of hitting snooze, Vasi came over, pulling one hand away from the keyboard and attempted to close the laptop. “Mommy. Come play with me!” It was a simple, assertive invitation.
And in that moment, I felt the disconnect. Because if you asked me what I value most right now, I would say: Family. Intentional Living. Organization.
And yet, in that moment, the way I was using my time didn’t fully reflect that. Not because work is wrong or that ambition is bad. But because I hadn’t paused to ask whether my choices were aligned with what matters most in this season.
Alignment Isn’t a Personality Trait — It’s a Practice
Each February, I naturally slip into reflection mode—my birthday month, the month I first became a mom, my grandfather’s heavenly birthday—so many moments that flood me with memories and naturally encourage thinking about life.
This year, I’ve been thinking a lot about alignment — about the times I’ve felt off and the times I’ve felt more at peace. When I look closely, the difference usually comes down to one thing: How I’m using my time. What I’m choosing to give energy to. What I’m avoiding. What I’m saying yes to without questioning.
All of this reflecting reminded me that our calendars tell the truth long before we do. And if we’re brave enough to look, they’ll show us whether our days are actually reflecting what we say we value.
A Look At My Own Values
Recently, I revisited my Personal Values page.
Here’s what it looks like right now.
You’ll notice something—it isn’t neat or perfectly narrowed down.
Some of those circles were there before today. Some feel aspirational. Some have shifted.
I crossed off “achievement” today. There was a time when achievement drove much of my decision-making. And while growth still matters to me, I’ve realized that achievement alone doesn’t create the life I want.
Simplicity feels louder right now. Family and fait always does. Organizing things may be part of living intentionally, but I felt like I need to call it out since I have been re-organizing everything from my purse to the fridge to the girls’ rooms. And health is a value I’m intentionally working to move from “circled” to lived.
At the bottom of the page, there’s space to name the values you want guiding your decisions and actions. I left the three there that were there in the past because still those matter most to me.
Clarity isn’t about circling every word that sounds good—it’s about deciding which values get to shape your calendar in this time of your life.
If You Want to Try This Yourself
You don’t need a workbook to do this. You can simply ask:
What feels most important to me right now?
Where is my time currently going?
Is there a gap between the two?
Start there.
And if you do have the Planning with Intention workbook, the Personal Values section is designed to help you slow down long enough to notice those gaps — and then intentionally adjust. It’s not about perfection. It’s about awareness.
A Gentle Challenge
If you’re feeling slightly stretched, scattered, or pulled in too many directions right now — you’re not alone. But instead of adding more structure or more goals, what if you started with this question: Does my calendar reflect what I say matters most?
If the answer is yes — keep going. If the answer is not quite — that’s not failure. It’s information. And information gives you power to recenter.
This work isn’t about doing more. It’s about choosing with clarity. And that shift changes everything.
