#68 - The Life Pie
Have you ever looked at your day and thought, “I really should have gotten more work done”?
Most people immediately jump to guilt, judgment, or frustration when their actions do not match their plans. But what if there is a different explanation?
What if your actions are simply revealing your priorities?
Recently, I had every intention of spending the day working. My plans were clear. My task list was ready. I knew exactly what I wanted to accomplish.
Then I was asked if I could spend some time with younger members of my family.
I could have said no.
But I didn’t.
Instead, we spent time together, laughed, made memories, and even played a game of Sorry.
The result?
I did not get the work done that I had planned.
And surprisingly, I felt completely at peace with it.
In fact, after reflecting on the day, I realized something important:
Sorry, not sorry.
Not because the work was unimportant.
Not because I lack discipline.
Not because I was avoiding responsibility.
But because family is one of my highest priorities.
Once I recognized that, all the guilt disappeared.
We Always Default to Our Priorities
Many people believe their actions should always match their plans.
But your actions usually reveal something more powerful.
They reveal your priorities.
When we repeatedly choose one thing over another, we are not necessarily making a mistake.
We are often expressing what matters most to us.
This can be uncomfortable when we discover that our actual priorities are different from what we think they should be.
As a food blogger, you are often surrounded by messages encouraging you to work harder, publish more content, grow faster, and squeeze every possible task into our day.
Those goals are not inherently wrong.
But they are not the only things that matter.
When I was given the opportunity to spend time with family, I made a choice.
Not consciously at first.
Not after a lengthy debate.
I simply said yes.
Because family occupies a very large slice of my Life Pie.
Understanding Your Life Pie
I think of life as a pie.
Your identity beliefs and personal values are baked throughout the entire pie.
They influence every decision you make.
They shape how you see yourself.
They determine what feels important.
These layers run through every slice.
Then come your priorities.
The priorities are the individual pieces of the pie.
Family.
Business.
Health.
Marriage.
Friendships.
Personal growth.
Rest.
Faith.
Fun.
Every person has a unique combination of slices.
The important thing to understand is that not every slice is the same size.
Some priorities take up a larger portion of your pie than others.
And that is okay.
In this season of my life, family occupies a larger slice than work.
That does not mean I do not care about my business.
It simply means that when those two priorities compete for my attention, family often wins.
Why Understanding Your Life Pie Removes Guilt
So many people create unnecessary suffering because they judge themselves for acting according to their priorities.
Imagine spending an afternoon with family and then criticizing yourself because you did not work.
Or taking a much needed day off and then feeling guilty for resting.
Or attending your child’s event and spending the entire time worrying about what is waiting in your inbox.
The guilt comes from believing you should have chosen differently.
But when you understand your Life Pie, something shifts.
You realize that your choices make perfect sense.
Your actions become evidence of what matters most to you.
That awareness removes judgment.
It replaces self criticism with self understanding.
And self understanding is a much more useful place from which to create change.
Priorities Change With Seasons
One of the most powerful aspects of the Life Pie is recognizing that priorities are allowed to change.
The size of the slices is not fixed forever.
There may be seasons when business growth takes up a very large portion of your pie.
There may be seasons when health becomes your primary focus.
There may be seasons when caring for family requires more of your attention than anything else.
That is normal.
That is life.
The mistake people make is assuming that every season should look the same.
Your priorities are designed to evolve.
What matters is making those choices intentionally.
Identity Remains More Stable
While priorities often shift, identity beliefs tend to remain much more stable.
You may continue to see yourself as a caring person, a responsible business owner, a lifelong learner, or someone who values connection.
Those qualities remain woven throughout the entire pie.
They influence every slice regardless of its size.
This distinction is important because many people confuse changing priorities with losing their identity.
You are not becoming a different person simply because one slice grows larger while another becomes smaller.
You are simply adapting to a new season.
Sorry, Not Sorry
By the end of the day, after playing Sorry and spending time with family, I realized something that felt incredibly freeing.
I was not disappointed in myself.
I was not angry about the unfinished work.
I was not carrying guilt.
Because I had made a choice that aligned with my priorities.
Sorry, not sorry.
The unfinished tasks can be completed another day.
The laughter, connection, and memories from that afternoon were worth every minute.
And when I looked at my Life Pie, the reason became obvious.
I had simply chosen the bigger slice.
Want help applying this to your blog and your life?
What Does Your Life Pie Look Like?
Take a moment to think about your own Life Pie.
Not what you think it should look like.
Not what social media says it should look like.
Not what other people expect it to look like.
What does it actually look like based on the choices you have been making?
Your answers may surprise you.
And they may also set you free.
Because when you understand your Life Pie, you stop fighting yourself.
You stop judging yourself.
You stop trying to force priorities that are not aligned with what matters most.
Instead, you begin making conscious decisions that reflect your values, your identity, and the season of life you are currently living.
That awareness has the power to transform everything.
Ready to explore your Life Pie and discover how your priorities are shaping your results? A deeper understanding of your priorities can help you make decisions with greater confidence, clarity, and peace. Let’s create your personalized recipe for success together.
Book your free discovery call today.
FAQ
Q: What is the Life Pie?
A: The Life Pie is a framework that helps you understand how your identity beliefs and priorities influence your decisions. Your identity beliefs run throughout the pie, while your priorities are represented by slices that change size during different seasons of life.
Q: Why do my actions not match my plans?
A: Your actions often reveal your true priorities. When there is a gap between plans and actions, it can be helpful to examine which priorities are receiving the largest slices of your Life Pie.
Q: Can priorities change over time?
A: Absolutely. Priorities naturally shift throughout different seasons of life. Family, business, health, and personal growth may each become larger or smaller slices depending on your current circumstances.
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