Have you ever looked at your calendar and thought, “This isn’t the life I wanted”? You’re busy, productive, and meeting obligations—but inside, you feel drained. That’s a sign you might be living out of alignment with your values.
The Cost of Misalignment
Living out of sync creates subtle but powerful stress: Sunday-night dread, resentment, and even emotional numbness. Glennon Doyle’s Untamed calls it “wearing the mom suit”—performing the life we think we should live instead of the one that feels true.
What Are Values, Really?
Values aren’t lofty goals or nice-to-haves. They’re your compass, guiding decisions and boundaries. For some, it’s connection or creativity. For others, it’s growth, wellness, or rest. And they can shift depending on the season of life—summer might prioritize adventure, while fall emphasizes family and stability.
Three Steps Back to Alignment
- Identify your top 3 core values. Ask yourself: When do I feel most like myself? What makes me feel alive and grounded?
- Audit your time. Compare your calendar to those values. Are you saying yes out of alignment—or out of guilt?
- Make micro-adjustments. Reclaim one evening for rest or creativity, set timers for scrolling, or block time for journaling. Small shifts ripple into big transformation.
Jessica shared how reading is a telltale sign for her—if she’s not making time for books, she knows her value of knowledge is being neglected. Kelly talked about squeezing in walks at the ballfield to honor her wellness value.
Alignment as a Filter
When you know your values, decisions get simpler. You’re not chasing productivity for validation—you’re choosing presence over perfection. As we discussed in our episode on JOMO (Joy of Missing Out), values help you release guilt about saying no.
“Your life isn’t created by accident—it’s designed by the choices that align with your truth.”
So ask yourself: What value am I craving more of right now?