When Life Rewrites the To-Do List

Five weeks into a writing pact, and I hit my first miss.

Last week, our youngest daughter needed an emergent appendectomy. What followed was a cascade of chaos—our Friday morning began with her doubled over in pain, and by that afternoon, the stomach bug took down my husband, my middle daughter, and my oldest. It was as if life looked at our calendar and said, “Nope. I’ve got a different plan for you.”

As things calmed just a bit, I thought, “Maybe I should just crank something out so I can say I didn’t miss a week.” But almost immediately, I chuckled. My last article was all about deliberate effort. And here I was, tempted to write something—anything—just to check a box. Sometimes the universe serves up its lessons with a side of irony.

In hindsight, what I learned from missing my writing pact was more powerful than forcing myself to uphold it for the sake of consistency. I learned what trumped the pact: my values. When life demanded my full presence, I gave it. Not because I wanted to miss a goal, but because something more important took precedence.

Family is one of my core values. And last week, family needed everything I had—my time, my energy, my decision-making, my comfort, my presence.

This isn’t just a personal reflection—it’s a leadership one, too.

In our work lives, we face shifting priorities all the time, especially those in leadership roles. Project deadlines change. Clients call with new fires. Team members need support. And if we’re honest, it can feel like failure when we don’t get to everything on our list. But what if it’s not failure? What if it’s realignment?

We are not robots. We are human. And part of leading well—at work or at home—is the ability to reassess and reprioritize when circumstances change. Last week reminded me that values, not checklists, are what guide the best decisions.

So yes, I missed a week of writing—and honestly, I’m grateful for what that week taught me. It reminded me that honoring your values sometimes means letting go of the checklist. And when you do, the space that opens up can be full of clarity.

I’ll return to my writing pact next week with renewed purpose—not to keep a streak alive, but to keep learning, keep showing up, and keep writing from a place that’s real.

Ever had a week where your calendar didn’t stand a chance? (Bonus points if it involved stomach bugs, emergency rooms, or a toddler with glitter.)