The New "B" Word

My dear pal, Shari, and I talk several times a week whether on the phone or e-mail.  She has been a fabulous 'accountability partner' as I work through my personal journey using The Success Principles. In today's chat on the phone, she made reference to one of my pet peeves:  when people use the word 'busy'.

I call it the new "B" word and it drives me up the wall when I use it and it really ruffles my feathers when someone uses it.

"I'm afraid I can't chat on the phone very long because I am so busy."

"So sorry for not calling you back.  I have been so busy."

"Yeah, I couldn't reply to your email because I am so slammed and busy with all the messages that come into my in box."

You don't say? I mean, I'm sitting here twirling my hair for my morning's activity and then I think I'll take a nap as my afternoon activity, so I suppose I can't really relate to your struggles of living such a busy existence.

Well, newsflash:  All of us live full and somewhat overwhelming lives.  By choice, or by necessity, and it takes time to make time sometimes.

I hope to make the effort to communicate with folks as often as I can before I also find myself apologizing for the delay in getting back to someone.  I am attempting to use methods to balance all the information that comes my way with streamlining my email communications, for instance.  I also note important dates like birthdays and friend's doing job interviews in my planner and send them an email or text.  I prefer to call because it as close to human interaction as I can get living my busy, um, full life.  Sometimes, though, technology can be a friend on those occasions when a phone call is not possible.

I am far from having it all under control.  Ha!  But one of my priorities is to let people know in general - and to also remind the loves in my life - that they matter. Yes, I utter that darn "B" word myself and I am working on different language to stop driving myself nuts over it.  Instead, when our paths cross, you may hear me utter these words:

"I apologize for not calling you back.  I have been overwhelmed and I want you to know that you are important to me. Now, how the heck are you doing, friend? Can we grab a coffee or cocktail this week? I'd love to see you!".

“Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.” 

― Stephen R. Covey

Why I didn't marry George Clooney

This past week, I couldn't escape the constant barrage of good news (or bad news, depending how you look at it) about George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin's blowout wedding in Venice, Italy that cost $13 million.  Don't even get me started about the money spent on the event - that's likely fodder for another post. I have been thinking about the event more then I likely should, but who can blame me when it is constantly in front of me, right?

But I do admit that this event, which is far from any real life experience I will ever have, did cause me to pause and consider how it fit into the context of my life.  I started thinking about things like: am I really envious about this?  Do I want to get married again? Will I ever get to Venice, Italy again (I visited that magnificent city in 2005)? Did I really want to marry George Clooney?

More importantly, I also asked myself:  who cares about a wedding between two famous people that took place in Italy? Why not think about the great event I am attending this evening that will touch on some of the great stuff going on with regards to humanities in our great state of Oregon? Why not think about the great time I'm having learning from professionals in the media industry all the while I am supporting artists on the "web-a-waves" (I do believe I just made that up on the fly; a new word to describe radio on the internet?)? Why not think about supporting a new friend in her work as a visual artist and taking a Sunday drive with the always delightful, Uncle Liam, to go check out that show near McMinnville?

Why not, indeed.

Yes, this is certainly a moment of perspective for me.  I have a life full of opportunity, abundance, flamboyant extravagance, meaningful relationships and I also have so much to offer many other people in this world.  Granted, I won't be joining George on his romps around Lake Como or his next world premiere of a film he stars in, but I do have a daughter to teach about dreaming big just like her momma does.

So, that's why I didn't marry George Clooney and I am totally okay with that.