Why do people think that their spirituality has to stop at their workplace? Some people even think that life has to stop at their workplace.
Spirituality is something that helps to enhance all facets of our lives. You can apply your spirituality to make your job better and to make other people’s lives better at work. If you don’t like your job, even stronger, if you hate your job, here is something that you can do.
The first step is discover what you like and what you don’t like about your job. Make a list, if you need to–maybe you can remember all of the tasks and interactions you have on the job. To consider these things in depth may take some time, but we have lot of that. When you have completed the list, look at it and pick out the things that you don’t like. Pretty simple so far, eh? Now think about them for a few moments.
What kind of skills would you need to do the least enjoyable–the horrible parts of that job (the ones that suck in other words) and maybe even enjoy them? What type of person would like the job that you have or to do the things that you don’t like on the job? How would you feel about that type of person? Are the skills that you need some that you never developed because they were difficult, or because you weren’t interested in them? Maybe you didn’t want to be the type of person who would like that job. The person who would like the job might be part of your shadow, which is the part of yourself that you have rejected.
They could be the person that you would have been if you hadn’t pressed down the very attitudes and behaviors that you need to enjoy your job. You can shake off all of the fear and discomfort and reclaim these parts of yourself, by developing the skills that you thought were worthless. When you do, all the energy that you are using to hold down all of these attitudes and behaviors will be released for you to use to enjoy life. You will not disappear as a person, your personhood will simply expand.
At your job, you can learn to reclaim old skills while you’re using your job as a testing ground to master them and any other skills that you feel are necessary. Furthermore, you will be getting paid while you do it. What can be better than that? It’s like being paid to go to school, when you think about it.
Let me say it one more time. You can do your life work at the job you are in now and get paid for it! That is excellent!
Dr. John Gilmore is a graduate of Wisdom University with a D. Min. in Reinventing Work and Spirituality. He is a Spiritual Director, Massage Therapist, Martial Arts Instructor and the writer of Life, Work and Spirituality, A Holistic Approach to Healthy Living. For more info. http://www.dswellness.com
