This is one of those odd blog posts from me that may or may not have anything to do with money but you know how I am…I like to ask questions that invite you to think differently about your life and your choices, even if they make you uncomfortable.

Today’s blog has to do with a term I keep hearing people use: SLAMMED. And they use it in reference to how much they are responsible for doing in the next bit of time.

Like “I’m really slammed this week.” or, “I’m so slammed this month I can’t even think straight.”

Every time I hear someone say something like this more than once, I question why and how they got themselves into their situation because it doesn’t sound like a place where they WANT to be.

For those of you who have been reading my words for a while or taken any of my workshops, you know I’m big on words and our use of them. And I encourage the reframing of those words when the meaning puts us into a particular mindset that doesn’t work for us.

The idea that life is SLAMMED brings to mind the proverbial martyr who is constantly doing too many things or taking on too much responsibility in order to justify one’s purpose in life…a subject that is near and dear to my heart and soul.

We do NOT have a purpose!

I know that one little sentence will probably jar many of you out of a spot that has you sit comfortably complacent with the rest of the world because you believe you HAVE found your purpose. But let me say it in another way…

There is no ONE reason you’re here on the earth.

And here’s why I say these things…because we’re making it all up in order to justify the air we’re breathing today.

Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s perfectly OK to find something to help you be OK today, and tomorrow, and the next day. I just want you to consider this…

You may have a lifetime of purposes (plural) and because you are looking for “that one” or think you have already found it, you may be missing some of your most important purposes.

My continued experience with Theresa and what I’m learning about life and myself

For almost three months or so (I have completely lost track of time), I have been visiting and comforting an old lady (95) in the hospital and now in a skilled nursing facility. She is ready to die and daily asks me why she is still alive. I simply tell her it’s because she took such good care of herself when she was younger. She smiles at this but I can tell it’s just not that comforting when you are really ready to die.

I have found the most interesting thing, spending time almost daily with this woman. And by the way, she has stopped eating or taking her medication for the past week and the next step is, hopefully, hospice.

The interesting thing? I completely lose track of time and I don’t have a care in the world when I’m giving her my full attention.

The point is…when I’m with her I AM LIVING MY PURPOSE at that moment. There IS no other purpose greater than helping her smile at the beautiful red fish in the pond, or ponder the gorgeous orchids around the building or getting her to laugh at how ludicrous it is to complain about how much water there is coming out of the fountain (evidently it should ONLY be a dribble!).

Back To The Slammed Thing

So I guess what really hits me when I hear people tell me they are “slammed” is that they aren’t generally living any purpose; in other words, there is no attention being paid to what they are actually choosing to give their attention to during the state. At least that’s my personal experience with the people who have said this to me…I am watching them go here and go there, all in a stressed, overwhelmed sort of mode…and it just doesn’t look, or feel over here, pleasant at all.

Are Your Holidays Slammed?

My sense, also, by listening to many of the people closest to me, is that the holidays bring about this sense of being slammed because we try to cram even more ‘stuff’ into our already over-busy lives and then, bam, we’re not able to enjoy much of it, if any.

How To Unslam Your Life

1) Take a deep breath right now. Like right now!

2) Take another one.

3) For five minutes, let there be nothing that you have to do. Nothing. You don’t have to go anywhere or do anything. You don’t have to make any more money or spend less money. You don’t have to bake or shop or wrap or decorate or anything else for that matter.

4) Now, if you made it this far, get out a piece of paper and ask yourself this question…

What will I be happy having done this holiday season?

Notice I didn’t say to ask yourself what would other people be happy with what you did. I asked, What would YOU be happy having done this holiday season?

5) After you ask yourself that question, and you get a nice clear answer, do whatever you can to create that for yourself.

Pulling It All Together

Not sure if I can tie it all together this time. Today was just random thoughts and some raw emotion from spending time with Theresa as she goes through this next phase of her life…death.

If something I wrote was helpful to you, great. If it didn’t, thanks for you support as I go through this phase of my purpose…being with a special old lady as she passes from this plane to the next.

Just something to think about…