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Hell and Back

Keep space for your existing life

FREE • PRACTICAL • AT YOUR PACE

HAB University

Real-life education for life during and after incarceration.

Lesson 7 of 9 · about 7 minutes

Keep space for your existing life

I already know this — skip it

What is it?

A personal commitments map names the parts of your life that need room alongside supporting someone’s return.

Why would I need this?

Practice including your work, rest, relationships, and responsibilities in the shared plan.

Show me.

  1. List commitments you already have.
  2. Mark which are fixed and which can reasonably change.
  3. Choose how much support time you can actually offer.
  4. Discuss that availability clearly instead of waiting until the schedule is impossible.

Try it.

Create an invented week with work, one personal activity, and one support task. Check that the support task fits.

Watch out for this.

You can care about someone and still have limits. Do not promise availability you cannot provide.

Explain this another way

Focus on one small task: keep space for your existing life. You can practice aloud, on paper, or with someone you trust.

Show me an example

HAB practice example: Jordan keeps a standing class and offers help with paperwork on a different evening.

What does that word mean?Open the full glossary

You did it.

You have practiced a useful next step. Repeat it if you want, or continue at your own pace.

Related lessons

Build a support circle beyond one person
Make a check-in plan for yourself

Put this lesson into practice

Open the related HAB helper →My HAB / saved work

Take the next step

Location-specific HAB resource connection: not connected yet. No local eligibility, facility rule, or service availability is assumed here.

Explore HAB resources →

Lesson version 1 · editorial review 2026-09-12. General education. Individual requirements can differ.

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