Today's lesson is about--time out!

Being healthy is not a low number on the scale in the morning. That is a result of (hopefully) being healthy in the body, mind and spirit.  If one, two or all three are out of balance, there's trouble.

This week, I've had to unexpectedly deal with all sorts of  imbalance, my own and others.  It's been coming at me from all directions. And it's been tough. It's tough because the daily management of deadlines at work and schedules for the family suddenly go from being a well-laid out plan to being items of which I have to prioritize and choose which ones get accomplished and which don't.  Add a killer migraine, achy body and  very sore throat and compounded by the weight the imbalances bring and, man, I have one heck of a country song on my hands.

We've all been there.  Especially if we're parents. As moms and dads, we strive to maintain balance and harmony in our families to keep them physically, emotionally and spiritually healthy.  When that balance is off, we feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders.  We put forth super-human effort to fix what's broken and restore balance. And it's tough.

One of the hardest things to do during stressful times is to take care of yourself.  Do something that makes you happy and brings a physical, emotional and/or spiritual respite, however brief, from the battle. Take a break from the stress and make some "You" time. In this article about the importance of having quality time, the author validates that "Taking time off for yourself allows you to renew and rejuvenate. You will emerge with more vigor and energy to face every day’s chaos."  For me, my "me time" this week is daily trips to Dunkin Donuts for their Sausage Wake Up Wrap and a small coffee.  The wrap is only 290 calories and it makes me feel like I'm starting out the day doing something special for myself.  I'm also taking a couple of days off of work, even though there is a project on my desk waiting to be finished. And that's okay.

And I've been praying. A lot.

Do for you so you can do for others. Restore your own well-being so you can be the help others need to restore theirs.  It's important to make time for *you*.