You don’t need another planner. You need a pause.
Women are taught to chase alignment like it’s a finish line. But true alignment isn’t something you check off—it’s something you tend to.
I remember when I was in the second year of my PhD program, and I saw a meme that resonated with me SO deeply. It said something to the effect, “as a PhD student everyone in your life thinks you’re this overachiever while you feel like a failure who is getting nowhere.”
At the time, I had 3 kids under the age of 4, and I remember feeling so alone and overwhelmed.
I felt like I was on an endless hamster wheel of responsibilities.
But from the outside looking in, I was this fearless mom, wife, and PhD student, who was showing the girls that women can do and have everything!
The discrepancy between how I felt and what my life looked like to outsiders was a sign that I was out of alignment.
Many of us end up in similar situations, but we don’t always realize how much we are struggling.
Let’s talk about the quiet signs that you might be out of sync—and how to come back to yourself.
😑 Signs You’re Out of Alignment
- You’re constantly irritated or overstimulated.
Even small things feel like too much. You might find yourself snapping at your children if you’re a mom. Or, you might find that you can’t even respond to text messages from friends and family because it just feels like one more thing that you have to do. - You’ve lost your “why”.
You’re going through the motions, but joy is nowhere in the mix. You feel like you have to fulfill all these obligations and meet expectations from your supervisor, clients, or even your family. You don’t feel connected to your work, and you’re probably questioning what decisions in your life led you to this point. - You’re fantasizing about escaping your responsibilities.
(Not in a dreamy, vacation way—but in a “what if I disappeared for a month, so I don’t have to do any of this?” way.) If you feel like you need to escape from the never-ending tasks that you have to fulfill, this is a tell-tale sign that you need to reevaluate how you’re spending your time and the direction of your life. (This can also be a concerning sign of deteriorating mental health, so it’s important to reach out to a licensed mental health professional for additional support.) - You’re second-guessing everything.
Even small decisions feel paralyzing. This can stem from a lack of confidence in yourself and/or what you’re doing. If we are grounded and confident in the path that we’ve chosen, it’s easier to move forward decisively.
🧭 The Soft Reset: What to Do
- Audit your energy, not just your schedule.
Where are the energetic leaks? What tasks make you feel energized? What tasks do you dread? Can you craft your schedule more intentionally? - Rebuild your week around values, not urgency.
What would your ideal week feel like? What tasks do you feel obligated to do? Are there ways you can break up these tasks or things you can do simultaneously to make them feel like less of a chore? (For example, you might watch Love Island while you’re running on a treadmill.) - Try a guided realignment ritual.
Even 10 minutes of intentional grounding can change your internal pace. There have been times where my mood and brain felt SO heavy that I had to do a “brain dump,” which gave me almost instant relief. Powerful transformations can happen when you have the courage to audit your time, life, and energy.
💫 Want help with this?
Book a Realignment Session™, a value-packed 1-on-1 call where we uncover what’s feeling off, clarify what matters most right now, and create a simple path forward that feels calm, clear, and sustainable.
📌 Save this post for your next overwhelmed week.
