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What Does A Purple BMW Stand For?
We have both been watching the new show on television “Swingtown”, maybe some of you have caught it. It is based in the mid-70s complete with music and fashion. Ohhh, we hesitate to admit it, but between us we actually remember wearing some of those oh so lovely 70s styles! The essence of the show is about finding your own unique way of living, being true to yourself, and not compromising. It actually has some pretty profound messages in it. In fact, if you are not careful it may set off a bout of serious reflection. Couple of weeks ago one of the characters asked of his wife, “What is the one thing that could make you happy?” Good one, huh? Had me thinking. Her reply did not do much for their struggling marriage, but that is another storyline…
Following week, same character ends up saying to his teenage son, “Don’t ever settle”. So much of our lives we are given the message, subtle and sometimes not so subtle, that we have to compromise, to settle, or that we are being foolish to imagine stretching way beyond our reach…but should we settle? How can we give life our best and get the best from our lives if we settle?
This last week brought it home to us again with the deaths of a couple of people in our lives, both so suddenly that it took our breath away and left us reeling for a few days. Both of these individuals were full of life, doing their own thing, both had refused to settle. One in particular touched our hearts, our “Auntie Janet”, we called her that because she was that extra-special cat sitter in our lives. She promised herself that upon retirement, instead of getting careful how she lived, she was going to live. Her first purchase was a purple, convertible, BMW. How she loved that car! How fabulous she looked in that car! Thank goodness she didn’t settle for a compact!
It is all too easy sometimes to settle into a rut, to get complacent, and yet sometimes we just need to shake it up. Certainly, in Swingtown that is what the characters do, not always with the outcomes they were expecting. But that is what life is about, isn’t it? Taking risks, trying new things, learning, learning, learning, and…please…not settling.
“Don’t settle” does not mean ‘never be content or happy or satisfied’. It certainly does not mean forgetting to be grateful for all the blessings in your life. It does, however, mean ‘push a little harder, give a little more, try a little something different, accept who you are, be who you are, love who you are, and get what you want from life’. It definitely means ‘be awake in your life and give your heart and mind to the things that matter to you’.
You can give your best to life and get your best from life, and you can do that NOW!
Building balanced solutions
Now it is your turn, ask yourself these questions:
Am I giving my best…to my self, my family, my friends, my clients, my work?
What is the one thing in my life, that if I could change, would make me happier?
Where am I settling in my life?
Where do I hold back?
Where am I selling myself out?
What am I willing to change?
How can I live more fully in my life today?
Dr.Toby Silverton and Dr. Bev McLagan, Silverton-McLagan Identity Coaching, are personal coaches, therapists, educators, speakers and authors of The Burnout Trap: Bounce Back from Over-busy, Over-tired and Overwhelmed! Since 1982 their uniquely practical and inspired approach has helped an international group of clients achieve personal and professional balance and success. They are known for their ground breaking work in the areas of life balance and burnout, self-identity, stress, and eating disorders. For more resources visit their blog www.biggerthanbalanceblog.typepad.com and their website: www.livethesolution.com
“Helping successful, overstretched women go from burnout > balance > bliss”
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