Ok, so that title is probably a little dramatic.

But you know the days/weeks/months I’m talking about. Things just seem to keep flying at you one after the other – health scares, relationship problems, work instability, financial insecurity.

Sometimes these things space themselves out nicely, so you’ve got adequate time to find your feet between.

And sometimes they’re like fast balls flying at your head and you just ready to give up and take them in the face.

My past few months have been the latter. Pure $hit show material. But I’ve made the decision to be ok with that.

I mean, my coach mentor says life is without exception 50% awesome and 50% crappy. ⁠

⁠My buddhist teachings call this life Samsara – an endless suffering-laden cycle of birth, death and rebirth.⁠

⁠Life isn’t meant to be all sunshine and roses. Sometimes it’s just a $hit show.⁠ What’s important is that I keep moving forward. Baby steps, crawling, sometimes even just shrugging in the general direction is all I can muster. And I’m ok with that too. 

⁠So, how you might ask, do I keep moving forward when I feel like everything is crumbling down around me and I feel like throwing in the towel?

I joyously and lovingly embrace my Bare-Arsed Minimum.

What is a BAM?

My Bare-Arsed Minimum is the base-line I need to get done in any given day or week to keep me moving forwards. It’s something that’s simple yet effective, requires minimal effort and provides consistent results.

It’s a concept that I first learned through a weightloss coach but that as I’ve come to embrace slow and joyful living, I’ve adapted and adopted in both my life and business.

How a BAM helps

BAMs are like magic little pixie kisses from heaven…

Ok, not quite. 

But they definitely help me get my backside out of bed on those mornings when my alarm goes off and I’m ready to call it a day and reach straight for the wine…

They’re also AH-MAZING for those of us with health challenges which can wipe us out for an entire day or longer. 

It’s not about speed, it’s about momentum. We all live different lives, with different dramas, priorities and responsibilities.⁠

⁠A BAM allows you to embrace your own pace. Do things at your own speed, meeting you where you are and experiencing your own individual journey..

Set your own BAM

Setting your own BAM is simple, you just want to pick three to four activities that you can do at your absolute worst and have the potential to provide positive benefits in the longer term.

We’re talking about the ultimate Minimum Viable Product.

For example, my business BAM looks like this:

• Get my email inbox to zero*
• Schedule or reschedule my tasks
• Communicate with my clients

These business tasks take about 5 minutes in total to complete and ensure I stay on top of what’s happening in my business, don’t add to my future stress levels by letting things accumulate and maintain my clients as a top priority.

And my personal BAM looks like this:

• Drink at least two litres of water 
• Eat at least one healthy meal or snack
• Go to bed at 9pm

Hydration, healthy food and an early night will always get my doctor’s tick of approval!

That’s it. Those simple things will ensure my business and health stay somewhat manageable and on track.

What BAM would you set for yourself?

 *If you need some help with this one you might like to check out my free  Unf*ck Your Inbox Mini Course.