There are times in life when we need to consider all there is to do, be thoughtful about priorities, and be open to making adjustments.

This is one of those times for me!  We are in the process of moving to Oregon, back to a town that is right between the places where my husband and I grew up.  It has been exciting, but brings a lot of extra work and interrupts our normal rhythms of life.  (This is something that is hard for my Strengths Theme of Discipline, I might add!)

One thing that has been helpful to me in this busy time is to consider what I call Circles of Responsibility.

I jotted circles in my journal, with my most important responsibilities in the center circle.  These are like “assignments,” things that are definitely mine to do.  This includes the work and planing for moving, and taking care of my family (having food to eat, paying attention to our relationships…).

There are a couple more circles around the middle one.  As the circles move outward, the priority decreases.  And it’s increasingly likely that I could drop that responsibility temporarily or that I could share the responsibility with someone else.  They may even become “opportunities” that I choose to say “yes” or “no” to.

Responsibilities need not be only things to do; they could be anything we need to be intentional about.  This includes relationships with people and caring for ourselves (when we take care of ourselves we can take better care of others!).

For now, writing blog posts is about in my third circle out, so I’m going to give myself freedom to not post as often for the next month or so.  I want to live a life of love for my family, and focus on what I need to during this short season of moving!

In the meantime, I invite you to follow my Live a Life of Love page on Facebook or live.and.love.well on Instagram.  I share mini-posts and bits of everyday, practical inspiration for living a life of love.

As you move into fall, what are in your Circles of Responsibility?  Here’s a worksheet I made to help you consider this.

How will you discern which responsibilities are priorities, and which ones you need to humbly let go of – at least for a little while?

Kathryn Featherstone is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and a board-certified Christian Life Coach. She’d like to encourage you in your journey! Write her a note or see her Coaching page.