We had a big snowstorm the week before Christmas.  The car was slipping and sliding more than I expected it to.  The trusty Subaru always felt like a tank plowing its way through winter, but something had changed.  Facing a holiday highway trip, I checked with the tire shop. 

"Legally bald!" How could that be? When was it last aligned?  Balanced? Oops! Without regular alignment and re-balancing, the rubber hits the road unevenly.  The tires do not all aim in the same direction.  They wobble a little.  They wear.  They lose their grip. 

Buying new tires was a startling and costly lesson, especially during the holiday season.  The silver lining has been the opportunity for reflection.  It is important not only to re-balance and align our tires on a regular schedule, but also to re-balance, align, and watch for signs of wear in our lives.  We will extend our lives, as well as our tread-life warranties if we pay attention and correct course when needed.

A few weeks ago, I was slipping and sliding again.  This time, it was not about tires.  It was about commitments.  When I volunteered to work with the Galloway marathon training program, I did not immediately see how much that new commitment would affect my life balance and alignment.  

First, I needed to clear the calendar on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings for nearly six months.  Then I needed to recognize the time, energy, and focus that would go into learning  the program, dealing with logistics, meeting new people, working in a new partnership, preparing, following up, and staying in touch.

For a few weeks I wobbled all over the place, like a tire that has hit a pothole. Re-alignment meant connecting with my deepest values.  My personal mission as a wellness coach is to support people in making positive behavioral change.  My new commitment is perfectly aligned with that mission; I made a great choice in raising my hand for the opportunity.  After affirming the convergence of purpose and direction in my new project, I took steps to re-balance the larger picture, deciding that some other activities could take a back seat for now.   

It is so easy to add commitments to our lives without taking the time to reflect, re-align and re-balance.  Before we know it, the rubber is wearing thin in spots.   We wobble, lose our grip, and skid out of control.