Do you feel invisible at work? Do you feel you give your life away to a faceless, meaningless vacuum? What if you could change your perspective and begin seeing this time and energy as a renewable resource instead of watching the clock tick your days into oblivion?
“Know that you are the leader in your life at work. Know that real leaders…are those who live authentically—who are true to their higher purpose in even the most challenging moments,” writes Beryl Allport in one of many inspiring essays in Awakening the Workplace: Achieving Connection, Fulfillment and Success at Work. “Each of us as leaders (with or without official titles), can be role models who inspire others by taking responsibilities for results, keeping promises, helping others to reach their potential, and are dedicated to making the workplace and the world a better place to be.”
Take pride in doing your best
We spend more time working than doing anything else, and few have the luxury of a perfect workplace, perfect boss, and tasks perfectly aligned with our philosophy of life. We may put years of our lives into jobs that don’t pay fairly or require work that seems petty and meaningless. This is a fact of life, but maybe if we begin living fully and doing our best where we are, we will soon be someplace better. My father taught me that the reason for doing our best, no matter how boring or unimportant we perceive our work to be, is simply to be able to say at the end of the day that we did our best. Paul Huschilt writes, “I took a job with computers that I loved to hate…I was committed to hating work…” Time can never be returned with money, any money—but putting out our best, whether saving lives in a hospital or serving coffee in the lobby gift shop, guarantees a day not wasted.
“People who feel bored and undervalued tend to hold back their energy and enthusiasm and gradually stop feeling truly alive,” Theresa Syer writes. It may seem hard to change your perspective if you hate your work, but you may be able to change your work once you change your perspective. “Only I am responsible for finding my passion, altering my perspective and creating my success.”
Stop the “joy-sucking” process
We’ve heard it all before, and it gets annoying when our lives are chaotic, debt-riddled unknowns and our dreams are distant memories. Think positive and everything will be okay. It’s easy for those motivational millionaires to bark out platitudes, but the reality may be grimmer. The vast majority of people earn a mere pittance, and most are not working as the screen star or inventor they wanted to become. But the truth remains that you are already in your job, and changing your mind is the only way to happiness where you are, the only ticket to moving up or out. Awakening the Workplace doesn’t smugly tell you to be positive—it brings together 16 speakers and coaches who tell you how. Each writer has her own ideas on effecting change at work from the inside out. Learn how to feel more spiritual at work, what to do about “joy suckers”, ways to manage disappointment, and how to custom create the workplace around you one step at a time.
Now imagine that tomorrow morning when the bell goes off, you leap out of bed and say, “Yay! I’m off to work!” You got it—your workplace will begin to change around you, and you will change to find the work for you. One writer quotes Mother Theresa when referring to this phenomenon: “You cannot do anything great in this world. You can only do small things with great love.”
About the Editors
Kathy Glover Scott is a multi-dimensional speaker and executive coach with the power to transform. Kathy teaches and weaves together best business practices with advanced energy work to help attain powerful results. She is the author of Esteem! and The Successful Woman, and in demand as a cutting edge keynote speaker and leader in innovative energy practices.
Canada’s Diamond Coach Adele Alfano is known nationally as an inspiring speaker, heart-warming keynoter, informative seminar leader, co-publisher and author. Renowned for her proven techniques, she has helped hundreds of people capitalize on their unique abilities to maximize their potential. She has been nominated for Woman of the Year in Hamilton. Her monthly newsletter, Spread the Sparkle, has been well-received all over the world. She is also the founder of the consistently sold-out “fun”-raising events in Southwestern Ontario called Kiss my Tiara!
Editors: Adele Alfano and Kathy Glover Scott
Number of pages: 216
Publisher: Experts Who Speak Books
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