Overflow: What makes your life worth living?

What makes your life valuable in this present moment? If we look at the messages we see in society, it would seem that worth is tied to finding the right career, making the right amount of money and surrounding yourself with the right people and things–like cars, houses, and influencers. Yet, millionaires can feel unfulfilled, and the friendliest people may choose to end their lives. In this third installment of the Overflow series, let’s dive into the topic of “purpose.” 

Previously, we identified the “Six Cups” as six strategies for overflow, which are outlined in my book “Overflow: Six Strategies to Beat Burnout & Reclaim Your Abundant Life.”  

This includes the following:

Physical Cup-Caring for your body through rest, exercise, quality foods, and proper hygiene. 

Spiritual Cup-Connecting with your values and beliefs.

Mental & Emotional Cup (ME Cup)-Acknowledging your feelings and the feelings of those around you.

Intellectual Cup (I Cup)-Engaging in activities that expand your knowledge and/or creativity.

Social Cup-Nurturing healthy relationships.

Career & Financial Cup-Operating in your skills, gifts and passions, and building a financial legacy.

Each of these cups impacts purpose in its own way, especially the Career & Financial Cup. We go to our jobs, start businesses, and contribute our skill sets to society as an expression of the purpose God has placed in us.  We earn money, which serves as a resource to both underwrite our basic needs and to propel our purpose forward. With the Career & Financial Self so intimately connected to our purpose, it is no wonder that this is a constant point of vulnerability for the Thief to attack our abundance. 

We spend most of our days for most of our lives at work. If we do not enjoy what we do, then we basically do not enjoy our very existence. Even worse, if our earnings are not above our expenses, we begin to doubt God’s provision and protection, which causes us to subsequently doubt and waiver from our purpose.  None of this brings us closer to eustress, overflow, or life abundantly.  

As such, being about our Father’s business is serious business. It can get difficult at times, especially when the ends do not meet, and the jobs are not fulfilling. The Bible talks about the constant struggle we have with work, especially the struggle between active work and anxious work. As I detail in the book Overflow, our ability to experience overflow in the Career & Financial Cup depends on our ability to return to the active work, even though people and circumstances will constantly pressure us to operate in the anxious work instead. 

Purpose steers everything in our lives. While our purpose may not be clear to us yet (or clear to us anymore), it does not make our purpose cease to exist. God does not make mistakes. He has a specific reason for us breathing in and breathing out at this very moment. We are on this side of Heaven intentionally. We are part of His grand plan. 

To get the Career & Financial Cup into overflow, we must look past the position and the paycheck. Instead, we must search for purpose. We can assure ourselves as David did, “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance” (Psalm 16:5-6, NIV). 

You’re invited to join conversations that will bring your Career & Financial cup back into overflow. Temple Fit Health, Inc. and the FAMU Center for Ethnic Psychological Research (CEPRA) & Application have partnered to host Mental Health Literacy Series 3 (MHLS 3). Join us for this series of purpose-inspired workshops via Zoom. Free registration and more information are at this link https://bit.ly/mhls3register.  

On March 28, we’ll discuss “Financial Stress & Self-Care”. Under the direction of Drs. Gwendolyn Singleton and Huijun Li, FAMU CEPRA Interns Zikeyia Williams and Kristina Jean-Baptiste will help us explore exceptional skills to be efficient with your finances and strategies for financial self-care. Ms. Williams is a native of Tallahassee, Fla., who is working on her master’s degree in Community Psychology. Ms. Jean-Baptiste serves at the Oasis Center for Women & Girls is a fellow of the NLC Tallahassee Class 9. 

On April 4, dive into a discussion on the “Triggers of Suicide” with a panel of mental health professionals. Dr. Alicia Jackson (FAMU Office of Counseling Services) will focus on suicide risks for students.  Ms. Angela Mitchell (Coordinator, Boys & Girls Club) will shine a light on suicide risk in the community and practice. Ms. Nicole Everett (host, “Conversations With Nicole”) will provide insight on suicide risk in the county. 

This program is possible because of these amazing community partners: Coping Connections; Day of Dialogue on Minority Health, Inc.; Tallahassee Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; and Temple Fit Co. Wellness Education & Events Agency. We’re also grateful for the support of the City of Tallahassee and Leon CARES. For more information, contact events@templefithealth.org.