(After five years writing my blog, I want to try a new approach and would welcome your feedback.)
“In difficult times you should always carry something beautiful in your mind.”
This quote by the French writer, Blaise Pascal, can be a phrase to live by.
Whether you have recently lost your job, feel discouraged by the lack of developments in your job search or you’re just having a bad day, you may need something else to focus on instead of your bad luck or troubling circumstances.
In his book, Beauty, Irish poet and philosopher John O’Donohue talks about the essential place of beauty in our lives. O’Donohue, in a voice that is confident and inviting, states that beauty “stirs passion and urgency in us”, and “awakens the heart.”
If you were to embrace the notion that summoning, or merely noticing beauty in your life, would transform your day or a difficult moment, what would you focus on?
Think simple or extravagant beauty, go on a hunt or turn your head to notice something, the choice is yours. You need only shift your attention and see what new perspective this might stir in you.
You may have read Malcolm Gladwell’s best selling book “Tipping Point” that describes a host of situations and people that made change happen and tipped the balance of history–an interesting read if you haven’t already enjoyed it.
While your own personal tipping points may not have the impact of a Paul Revere’s ride, they nonetheless, can have life altering significance for you.
Recently I met with a client who was struck by the positive turn of events in his life over a 6-month period. I thought it might be interesting, if not revealing, to explore the patterns that may have contributed to the shift and asked him to describe what he saw as “pivotal moments” leading up to the shift.
As he identified a series of specific events, I listened for their overarching themes that could make them pertinent to anyone’s life journey. Interestingly enough, themes did emerge that, in fact, had shown up in other turning points in his life. Perhaps they will have relevance to you and your life:
1. An experience of Leaving and Loss (this could range from losing or leaving a job to the death or illness of a beloved)
2. Multiple experiences of “hitting a wall” (despite considerable effort on your part, you do not get the results you want)
3. Reaching out (recognizing you can not tackle this alone, you decide to seek guidance and help from people outside your inner circle or typical helpers)
4. Being open to new possibilities (when the familiar ways don’t work anymore, you welcome new viewpoints or perspectives)
If this particular list does not hit home for you, consider a time that was pivotal in your life and analyze it for the themes that seemed to lead up to the shift. In doing so, you may discover a hidden series of actions that created your tipping point.
Recently, I’ve been very aware of people who love what they do.
I’ve noticed that they often have a dynamic energy around them that’s hard to miss.
On Saturday, I was working in my garden when two women appeared in the yard. They were carrying what appeared to be religious books of some sort and they approached me with smiles and appreciative comments about my plantings.
After they identified themselves and their religious tradition, I realized that I didn’t particularly agree with the philosophy of their belief system. Nonetheless, I was impressed by the manner in which they conducted their missionary work. I commented that they seemed to truly enjoy the work they did on behalf of their church. They both nodded in enthusiastic agreement and, after hearing that I had my own approach to spirituality, moved on to my neighbor’s house.
That same day, I was running errands in preparation for a dinner party–always a great reason to stop by Portland’s newest bakery, Cranberry Island Kitchen. Karen, one of the owners, greeted me in her usual welcoming fashion and quickly opened a box of treats for me to sample. I couldn’t resist the invitation to try the latest whoopie pie flavor, even though I knew my mission that day was to purchase her yummy lobster-shaped shortbread cookies as favors for my guests. Both Karen and her colleague, Carol portray the traits of people whose heart is in their work: enthusiasm and a desire to share with others what they do.
My own clients will often remark that I must love my work because they sense my desire to help them and my sincere interest in their stories and quest for right livelihood.
Here is a list of some of the characteristics I’ve observed of people whose heart is in their work. Note if you see yourself in the descriptions:
• Consistent enthusiasm for the work and conscious enjoyment of each day.
• Desire to share the work with others in some way.
• Curiosity about and an interest in delving deeper into related topics.
• Recognition of how the work aligns with what is important to them.
• Spirit of generosity that is projected to others.
• Gratitude for the work and an appreciation for the opportunity to share it with the world.
While most people come to see me for help in identifying and securing work that they’ll love, they don’t always leave the job they are in. It seems that in some cases, experiencing “heart at work” can be cultivated and achieved without going to another job or forging a new career direction.
This morning I was touched by a poem by the Persian mystic, Rumi:
Let yourself be silently drawn
by the strange pull of what you really love.
It will not lead you astray.
At a time when the economy is still sluggish and job security is non-existent, it may be hard to let yourself contemplate what you really might love to do. But, that is precisely what Rumi promotes in his provocative poem.
Rumi is not the only philosopher/teacher to suggest that following what you love is a wise thing to do. As Joseph Campbell says: “Follow your bliss, and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.”
If you fear financial devastation as a result, perhaps Marsha Sinetar’s book, “Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow“, might guide you in creating a plan that may lead to success, rather than failure.
If you are like most people and experience a lack of job satisfaction, perhaps it hasn’t occurred to you that things could be different.
All it may take is for you to identify those topics and tasks that truly engage you and imagine how they might lead you to a new job or career. This idea is probably a new concept if you have traditionally summed up the marketplace and determined where you could fit in, rather than devising a plan around what would work for you.
In the first half of life, we ask the question “Who should I be?” and look to parents, teachers, and society for the answer and for directives on how to achieve it.
We spend over three decades scanning our external world for clues about the appropriate steps that would support our mission to be on the right course. In the process, we develop competencies and skills, as well as a keener sense of how to present ourselves in the world beyond our immediate family.
There is often a sense of achievement and realized success from this effort to be all we can be–even if it may be according to someone else’s expectation of us.
Just when our lives seem to be working well, and according to plan, along comes midlife to dash our glib sense of comfort with our achievements and ourselves.
For some of us, the drop in satisfaction with what seemed to be a good life seems to happen overnight. For others, it’s a more gradual, but steady decline.
In any case, a growing awareness of the passing of time and an increased sense of our own mortality, each contribute to the shift in perspective on our lives and an increased interest in our life’s purpose.
The definitive question of the first half of life positioned us to explore an array of external directives. A new and compelling question emerges in life’s second half and challenges us to look inwardly this time for the answer.
“Who am I meant to be”? surfaces without explicit expectations or a clearly defined path. Rather, the question invites us to listen to our inner wisdom for hints about our calling.
Author and artist, Marjorie Zoet Bankson, offered her wisdom on the “Cycle of Call” at an afternoon presentation for Movable Feast last October. She suggested that the call takes a spiral path and is illuminated at various times in our lives through four questions that prompt a series of responses. Here are the key points of her presentation.
Who am I? What is my work? What is my gift? What is my legacy? Any of these questions might trigger a resistance response as we experience the inner and outer aspects of our lives in potential conflict.
Reclaiming what we know deeply can facilitate a transition to the revelation stage where we develop insight about our knowing and experience Spirit revealed in us.
As we shift our mindset from fear of the unknown to joyful anticipation and faith, we become more accepting of the risk that is inherent in any call.
In embracing the change that is coming, we begin to relate to and integrate what we’ve learned on the path of call. In the final stage of release, we assume the role of mentor and leader, owning our personal power and sharing our knowledge with others, but without need for acknowledgement or praise.
In my own career and vocation work with individuals, I’ve noticed certain characteristics that tend to accompany a call. I hope they may help you recognize an opportunity in the making:
The Experience of Call
In these times, with news of crises, disasters and adversarial politics at every turn, it is easy to get swept up in a negative spiral of conversations and thoughts without realizing it.
Without any thought to the consequences, you flow with the tide of external events, and unconsciously drift farther and farther away from your own life. You may be oblivious to the fact that you feel sullen and begin to loose hope in or clarity about your goals.
Some say that awareness is the first step to change. If it is so, then those of you who relate to what I am writing may be turning a corner.
From this point on, use restraint from whatever distracts you from your own agenda (whether it’s the daily news or your neighbor who is angry and belligerent) and demonstrate vigilant attention to what is most important in your life.
As you refocus your thoughts, actions and conversations, you will notice a return to a more moderate place where you feel more in control of your life and your future.
I’ve been in denial about how busy I’ve been. When you get into the rhythm of life’s activities, you find the gear that makes it all work and you believe it’s inefficient to slow down. But, eventually, the need for balance hits and you need to pay attention.
Even though I espouse vacations and regular breaks, I have not taken my own advice lately. But, like anyone, I had good reasons: a daughter’s wedding to plan and execute and thankfully, a full career counseling practice.
But, I knew the pace of my life had to change and I counted on my annual séjour to the south of France as the answer. I looked forward to two weeks with no commitments before welcoming this year’s visitors to my “http://www.yourprovenceretreat.com/” annual women’s retreat in the quiet village of HYPERLINK “http://www.provenceweb.fr/e/alpmarit/biot/biot.htm” Biot, just 20 minutes from the hustle and bustle of the Riviera.
While there are familiar haunts I look forward to visiting each year and new places to beckoned me, this year, I could only think of sleeping in each morning, taking daily naps, and reading “http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/eatpraylove.htm” Eat, Pray, Love—a book that has been on my to do list for months.
I finished the book in two days and moved on to another, equally satisfying read: HYPERLINK “http://www.amazon.com/Without-Map-Memoir-Meredith-Hall/dp/0807072737” Without A Map, by Maine author Meredith Hall. Interestingly enough, both books are about deep personal journeys, although that theme was not a conscious selection on my part.
I’ll admit I’m doing quite well on the sleep front too. Naturally an early riser, I was surprised to see the clock read 10:30 am for three mornings in a row. Having given into the need for more sleep, I am now back to a truer rhythm.
My days are different here, with much of my time focused in the moment and devoted to the basics of daily life: selecting food for the day’s meal from nearby markets or small food vendors, preparing and savoring it. There’s something restful and nurturing about tending to the basics in life.
While I realize that the South of France lends an amazing backdrop to these basic tasks, I hope I will remember the positive effects of being in the moment and attending to simple things when I return home.
Perhaps you know it’s time for a job change, but you don’t know exactly what you want or where to look. If this is the case, you probably feel stuck. In order to move forward, you may need to shift your thinking from all the things you don’t know (e.g. what, where, when and how much) to what you are clear about.
Begin with a list of the reasons why you’re considering a change. Typically, this list will reflect what is missing in your current position or what is not to your liking. Next to each item on your list, write what you want in response to whatever is not working.
Be as specific as you can with each list.
Here are examples of items that might be on the lists:
What is not working: What I want instead:
Bored, no challenge. Opportunity to learn something new.
Commute is too long. Workplace within 30 minutes from home.
Boss that micro-manages me. Chance to work more independently.
Work is not meaningful to me. Feel like I make a difference.
Not using skills I enjoy. Want to use more skills that I like to use (need to know what these are).
The information on your lists will help you in either of two ways in your effort to identify
job options. It will assist you in creating questions to ask during job interviews to determine if the setting is a good match for you, or it will help you identify positions that share your employment criteria.
It is not necessary to have a job title in mind as you begin a job search. In fact, job titles can vary greatly from one employer to the next, so narrowing your search to one title could needlessly eliminate possibilities.
Identify the criteria that are important to you such as: key responsibilities and skills, work environment, compensation and benefits, values and mission, interests, and co-workers.
Rank-order these criteria as a step in identifying prospective employers.
Ask friends and colleagues what position or employer comes to mind as you share with them your criteria. When you hear something of interest to you, ask for the name of a person who either does this type of job or works in an organization where it is done.
At this point, you should be ready to begin networking around prospects in the marketplace that have the potential to meet your criteria.
Heart At Work Associates offers career counseling and outplacement services for your life stage in Portland, Maine and globally.
