I knew I was about to pass out.

I stood up and walked from the carpeted floor to the kitchen to call for my husband, who was downstairs. 

I woke up to shouting. “Amy, what was that noise?” Frank was rushing up the stairs. I had fainted and fallen on the tiled floor.

The next hours were a blur—getting me onto a stretcher, blood pressure cuffs, answering questions for the EMTs, a ride to the hospital, an IV drip, and a lecture on the importance of staying hydrated while playing two and a half hours of tennis in the summer heat. The good news? My test results were fine, and I was cleared to go home.

But the experience shook me. It reminded me that our lives are fragile, and none of us knows how many days we have left. On the ride home, a question repeated itself:
Am I spending my time the way I truly want?

Maybe you’ve had a moment like that—a health scare, a loss, or simply a milestone birthday that made you pause and take stock. Sometimes it takes an unexpected jolt to remind us to ask ourselves important questions.

After that incident, I started checking in with myself more often. Not in a dramatic, overhaul-your-life way, but in small, intentional moments. I’ve asked:

- If this were my last week, would I be proud of how I spent it?
- Am I investing time in what matters most—my people, creativity, stillness, nature?
- Have I said “yes” to too many things that don’t align with my values?

If you'd like to reflect, too, here are a few helpful resources:

• The “Life Calendar” by Tim Urban (https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/05/life-weeks.html) shows how many weeks the average person lives—and how many you may have already used. Its colorful graphs and statistics are good reminders of how precious life is.
• Bronnie Ware’s “Five Regrets of the Dying” (https://bronnieware.com/blog/regrets-of-the-dying/) shares what mattered most to people at the end of life—things like having the courage to live true to oneself, staying in touch with friends, or letting themselves be happier. Ware reminds us that this is a choice we make.
• A personal values quiz (https://personalvalu.es) can help clarify what’s most important to you. It took a while to take this test, but it does make a person reflect on whether their schedule matches their priorities.

Taking quizzes and reflecting is only half the story. The other half is action.

So here’s a small challenge:
Choose one moment this week and spend it exactly how you want.

What makes you smile? Gives you peace? Energizes your creativity?

Consider spending time baking, writing, building, praying, singing, visiting, eating luscious strawberries, blowing bubbles, or doing nothing at all—whatever brings you joy, connection, or peace.

Life moves fast. But you still get to choose how you fill the hours. You don’t need a crisis to make this shift. You just need a moment of reflection—and the willingness to act on it.