We spend more time at work than anywhere else. More than sleeping, more than Facebook (yup, or at least that should be correct), more than time with our family, at least during the week. If you work the “typical” weekday 9-5 routine or some aspect of that, your daily time is with your work and people at work. How’s it going for you? Are you fulfilled? I spent years in different jobs, because they met my skills and I was earning a living, just like I was taught.
The truth is, in many of these positions I was pretty good at the work, a good “soldier”,dutiful and helping the company do well. Inside, however, I was a wreck and felt so much unnecessary stress. The questions that never got answered, swirling in my head, caused me so much anxiety.
Why don’t they listen to my ideas? Where’s my promotion? How come they recognize people who don’t work as hard? Should I stay and make it work or leave for something better? Is the grass greener?? Ahhh!
I was filled with adrenaline, stress chemicals and I was aging my body faster than my years. Eventually the stress lead to breast cancer, gallbladder disease and other problems. I know that this chronic stress condition made a great environment for the cancer and other poisonous processes in my body. Wow! Did I create chaos inside of myself!
This is a terrible road to travel down, trust me. Once I woke up to NEW questions, I was able to shift my mind, my heart, and my spirit. Once I made this shift, I was more fulfilled at work and the tiring hours and demands that seemed impossible to fill, were less of a problem. I teach about mindset and perspective and the power of our thoughts. I coach folks on making shifts in their internal view, that is the ONLY way the external view changes. It is the only thing that changes our reality. It does work!
This week as we seek more Meaning from the work we do, let’s ask ourselves 3 questions that can make this major shift:
- What are you really good at?
- What do you enjoy?
- How can you do more of that at your work?
I realized that I am really good at elevating and supporting people’s growth. I also found out it is what makes me happiest. I began to focus more on that work, at work. This gave each job a new perspective. I was able to fill enough of my time with activities that benefitted my team, this filled me up. By the way, it also made the company’s goals come together better as well. When we are able to do what we love and what makes us filled up, we perform better, we are less stressed and everyone wins!
Eventually, I went on to MOST LIFE and a new full-time career, but first I shifted where I was before I took a full exit. Make your shift. Change your mindset!
DOWNLOAD this week’s IDEASheet and focus on what you are good at, what you enjoy and do more of that at work. Get more Meaning at work, start NOW before your body tells you you are not happy!
