This is a busy world we live in, isn’t it?  Some of us have schedules that are packed to the gills from morning to night.  For those with school-age children or corporate careers, the schedules can be especially overwhelming.  Others of us are either retired or have created lives with a bit less stress.  But even then, sometimes life conspires to throw a few too many choices and opportunities into the mix and we may struggle to find a bit of balance.

I am in the latter group at the moment.  I have consciously chosen a life less busy than that of the average American, but still there are times when I am being pulled in a few too many directions at once.  What do I do to come back into balance?  What can we do to catch a breather now and then?

We need to learn to claim space for ourselves.  I’m not talking about planting a flag on an unexplored continent, but I am suggesting that it is more than okay to claim some sacred space from the demands of this hectic world.  It is not only okay, it is essential to our spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical health.

We may need to learn to say “no” more often – to parties or social dates, to extra hours at work or pleas for more time from a non-profit group.  If we wanted to, we could certainly schedule in every waking minute of the day.  But please don’t.  It is not healthy.  That is not the kind of life we were meant to live.

We need to learn to say “YES” to that which feeds us spiritually.  We need to learn to say “YES” to a bit of rest when we are tired and a bit of play if we’ve been working too hard.

We may need to actually schedule in time for ourselves.  If others in your life do not understand your need to claim space for yourself, you may need to simply say, “I have an appointment at that time.”  Or we may need to renegotiate with our families or our bosses.  We may need to delegate more.

I have read two articles recently in which women have said they are rising an extra hour earlier in the morning so that they can claim some personal space before their spouses and children awaken. 

I myself am claiming an extra hour or two this morning just to “catch up.”  Fortunately my friend was willing to renegotiate our schedule for the day.  I feel better already.

Today, friends, I wish you TIME.  I wish you Personal Space.  I wish you Peace.  I wish you Breath. 

Have a most blessed day.