I had a great conversation with a friend yesterday.

Her life, she had realized with sudden clarity, was spiraling out of control.

Her plate, that had once been just comfortably full, was now overflowing and oozing onto the ground causing pain, sleepless nights, illness and a general lack of balance.

I’ve been there.

Countless times over the years I’ve had to reassess. To recalibrate (which is delightfully defined as to plan or devise (something) carefully so as to have a precise use,application, appeal,).To look at all the things I was doing – for others, for my job, for my self – and choose. Because the plate was impossibly full. And the whole thing was making a big old mess. And nobody else was going to clean it up but me.

And then there have been the other times. The impossibly dangerous ones where I have chosen to ignore the yellow flags that said “too much” “slow down” “back up” and gone straight for the blaring red flags that screamed about my impossible pace and lack of self care. And I got angry, and sick, and tired.

Those times have led to illness. And relationships ending, And pain, both physical and emotional.

So if it’s time for you to recalibrate today I want you to stop. I want you to call all the people you were supposed to see today and cancel. Yes, let them down. It’s OK. They’ll get over it. If you got littles I want you to see if someone (who has probably offered dozens of times and you’ve said no) can take them for a couple hours. Or if you’re blessed and have an awesome partner, see if they can take a shift.

And I want you to grab a journal, your bible or maybe a great book of poetry that inspires you, and I want you to find someplace where you can think. And write it all out. And figure out which things need to go so that you can realign. So that you can be devised carefully so as to have a precise use, application and appeal.

And then go schedule the hard conversations. Maybe with your spouse, or your best friend, or the leader of the volunteer organization or your boss. And figure it out.

Because it can be done. And you can find your balance. Because you are a creation of a gorgeous, creative, and loving God who made you with everything you need to figure this out if you lean into Him and trust who He made you to be.

Happy running. And recalibrating.

Jen